Can You Really Die From a Broken Heart?
Can You Really Die From a Broken Heart?
Sappy cards. Impossible dinner reservations. Rose bouquets for twice their typical cost.
If you’re annoyed by the hype of the Valentine’s holiday, take heart: There might be something worth celebrating after all. Scientists continue to find ways that nurturing relationships, like a supportive marriage, confer health benefits to the heart – and conversely, how stress and grief from love lost can take their toll on it.
In fact, one recent University of Rochester study showed that wedded people who undergo coronary bypass surgery are at least three times as likely as their unmarried counterparts to be alive 15 years later. On the flip side, more and more scientific evidence is mounting, making a strong case for the long-romanticized notion of people dying from “broken hearts.” It turns out, in rare instances, suffering a devastating loss can literally kill you.
To understand how emotions affect the heart, we sat down with cardiologist Dr. Leway Chen, who specializes in caring for patients with heart transplants and artificial hearts.
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To learn more about the advanced heart health care and treatments offered by URMC’s cardiologists, click here.
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* The above story is adapted from materials provided by University of Rochester Medical Center
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