Broken heart syndrome is also known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy. It is a rare heart condition that is often triggered by stressful situations, extreme emotions or serious physical illness.
Broken heart syndrome is essentially a weakening of the left ventricle, the heart’s main pumping chamber, and brought on as a result of severe emotional stress such as the loss of a loved one, sudden illness or accidents, Professor Markus Schlaich explains.