What kinds of emotional and physical stress can cause broken heart syndrome?

What kinds of emotional and physical stress can cause broken heart syndrome?

Examples of sudden emotional stressors that can bring on broken heart syndrome include:

• Grief from the death of a loved one and other large or meaningful loss (eg, divorce/relationship, job, home, money, beloved pet).
• Good news (e.g., surprise parties, winning the lottery).
• Bad news.
• Intense fear (e.g., public speaking, armed robbery, car accident).
• Extreme anger.

Examples of sudden physical stressors that can bring on broken heart syndrome include:

• Severe pain.
• An exhausting physical event.
• Health issues, including asthma attack, difficulty breathing (dypnea), seizure, stroke, high fever, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), large blood loss, surgery.