Broken Heart Syndrome: Is The Heart Really Broken?

Stress induced cardiomyopathy, which is also known as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, is a cardiac syndrome of a transient, reversible left ventricular dysfunction that is caused by emotional and/or physical stress. Its clinical manifestations are similar to those of myocardial ischemia without a coronary artery lesion. Stress-induced cardiomyopathy is more common in middle-aged women, and the prognosis is favorable. We report the case of a 54-year-old female who had consulted a psychiatrist regarding her problematic son and were in the process of venting her feelings when she had an episode of cardiomyopathy. She fulfilled the ICD criteria for a Double Depression. Implications of condition are discussed