We tend to refer to intense emotional suffering as a “broken heart”—most commonly due to sorrow, parting, or intense sadness. But in rare cases, that emotional toll can go far beyond feeling. It can break your heart quite literally. And now, researchers say this phenomenon might be far deadlier for men than it is for women.
A newly published study in the Journal of the American Heart Association has shed light on Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy, better known as broken heart syndrome. The condition is typically triggered by extreme stress, either emotional or physical. Although more commonly diagnosed in women, the study found that men are more than twice as likely to die from it.
The Gender Gap in a Heartbreaking Diagnosis
Between 2016 and 2020, scientists studied hospital admission records of close to 200,000 U.S. adult patients diagnosed with the condition. What they found was surprising.
Over four out of five patients (83%) were female, which confirms what physicians have long suspected: broken heart syndrome is more likely to affect women. However, the twist came when scientists looked at mortality rates.
While only 5.5% of women died from the syndrome during hospitalization, the death rate for men was an alarming 11.2%—more than double.
So why are the men dying at these increased rates? The study reports that whereas women acquire the disease after emotional events like grief or anxiety, men are more often prompted by bodily stress—like infection, surgery, or traumatic injury. Such stress might place more pressure on an already fragile heart.
“This condition is known to be associated with sex and race disparities and can lead to significant in‐hospital mortality and morbidity,” the study noted.
When the Heart Breaks in More Ways Than One
Though Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy is usually reversible, it’s far from harmless. Many who experience it are hit with serious complications before recovery can begin.
In this large-scale study, researchers found that
- 35.9% developed congestive heart failure
- 20.7% had atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat)
- 6.6% suffered cardiogenic shock, a dangerous drop in the heart’s pumping power
- 5.3% experienced strokes
- 3.4% went into cardiac arrest
These aren’t small side effects—they’re severe, and in some cases, life-threatening.
Even more troubling is that during the five years studied, no improvement in mortality was observed. In other words, even as awareness of the condition grows, outcomes haven’t gotten any better.
What Doctors Can—and Must—Do Differently
The findings suggest that doctors may need to be more careful about how they treat this condition in women and men. The traditional portrait of broken heart syndrome has been of women—older women in particular—suffering emotional distress. But for men, whose cases are often linked to physical stress, the stakes may be higher.
“Clinicians need to improve care of these patients to reduce mortality and study the reason for sex differences in outcome,” the study urged.
That means better screening, more tailored treatments, and a greater understanding of how emotional and physical stressors uniquely affect the heart.
Final Thoughts: A Metaphor with Real-Life Consequences
It is simple to imagine “a broken heart” as mere poetry. This study is a reminder, though, that the relationship between our emotions, our bodies, and our health is very real.
If an individual is suffering a huge loss or in the process of healing from a wound, signs like chest pain or shortness of breath cannot be brushed aside. What may seem to be stress or grieving could, in fact, be the heart calling out for help.
And while broken heart syndrome is still considered rare, its consequences—especially for men—are anything but minor.
