CAN you die of a broken heart?
Apparently, according to the body of evidence which shows that your heart can be damaged by a severe emotional trauma, termed the "broken heart syndrome".
It has been observed and documented for years that the death of a close partner can trigger what's medically known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy syndrome - referring to the shape of the heart in people with this condition, which resembles a Japanese pot with the same name.
Frequent reports of mothers dying immediately upon the death of their children and high profile examples such as Debbie Reynolds (pictured with Carrie) dying one day after her daughter Carrie Fisher in 2016, have highlighted the syndrome.
How it came to be named after a Japanese ceramic is uncertain, but such a cardiac trauma can be caused even by a happy event, such as a wedding or a new job.
The condition can be temporary, with the heart muscle recovering over days, weeks or months, but for some it can be sadly tragic.
Perhaps it's worth remembering that it's better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all...
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 07 Mar 19
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