Diagnosis
Broken heart syndrome is often diagnosed in the emergency room or hospital because the symptoms can look a lot like a heart attack.
To find out if you have broken heart syndrome, a healthcare professional examines you. If you are stable, you are usually asked questions about your symptoms and medical history. You also may be asked if anything stressful has happened lately, such as the loss of a loved one or another big life event.
People who have broken heart syndrome usually don't have heart disease symptoms before the condition starts.
Tests
Tests to help diagnose broken heart syndrome include:
- Blood tests. People who have broken heart syndrome often have higher levels of proteins called cardiac enzymes in the blood. One example is troponin T, which is found in the heart muscle. A blood test can check for these proteins.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). This quick test measures the electrical activity of the heart. Sticky patches called electrodes go on the chest and sometimes the arms and legs. Wires connect the electrodes to a computer, which shows or prints the test results. An ECG shows how fast or how slow the heart is beating.
- Coronary angiogram. This test looks for blockages in the heart arteries. It's used to rule out a heart attack. People with broken heart syndrome usually do not have any significant blockages in their heart. To do the test, a doctor places a thin, soft tube called a catheter into a blood vessel, usually in the groin or wrist. The doctor then gently moves the tube toward the heart. A special dye goes through the tube into the heart's arteries. This dye helps the arteries show up clearly on X-ray images and video.
Once it's clear that you're not having a heart attack, your healthcare team checks to see if your symptoms are caused by broken heart syndrome.
- Echocardiogram. This test uses sound waves to create pictures of the beating heart. It shows how blood flows through the heart and heart valves. It can show if the heart is bigger than usual or has an unusual shape. These changes may be due to broken heart syndrome.
- Cardiac MRI. This test uses magnetic fields and radio waves to make detailed images of the heart.
Treatment
There's no set treatment for broken heart syndrome. Healthcare professionals treat the symptoms like a heart attack until they know for sure what is going on. Most people need to stay in the hospital while they get better. Medicines are used to treat symptoms and any complications.
Many people with broken heart syndrome feel fully better in about a month. A test called an echocardiogram is done 4 to 6 weeks after the first symptoms. This test checks if the heart is working well again. Sometimes, broken heart syndrome comes back after treatment.
Medications
If you have broken heart syndrome, medicines are usually given to:
- Treat symptoms and complications.
- Take stress off the heart.
- Stop broken heart syndrome from happening again.
Medicines for broken heart syndrome may include:
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.
- Angiotensin 2 receptor blockers (ARBs).
- Beta blockers.
- Water pills, also called diuretics.
- Blood thinners, if you have a blood clot.
Surgeries or other procedures
Surgeries and procedures used to treat a heart attack don't help treat broken heart syndrome. Those treatments open blocked arteries. Blocked arteries do not cause broken heart syndrome.
Preparing for your appointment
Broken heart syndrome is usually diagnosed in an emergency or a hospital setting.
If you can, bring a family member or friend with you to the hospital. Someone who goes with you can help you remember the information you're given.
If you can, share important information with the person who is taking you to the hospital. This can help your health team take better care of you. Be sure to tell them about:
- Any symptoms you're having, and how long you've had them.
- Important personal information, including any major stresses, such as the death of a loved one, or recent life changes, such as the loss of a job.
- Your personal and family medical history, including health conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol or heart disease.
- The medicines you take, including those bought without a prescription.
- Any recent injury to your chest that may have caused damage inside the body, such as a broken rib or pinched nerve.
At the hospital, you may have many questions. If possible, you may want to ask:
- What do you think is causing my symptoms?
- I recently had a loved one suddenly die. Could my symptoms be due to this event?
- What tests do I need?
- Do I need to stay in the hospital?
- What treatments do I need right now?
- What are the risks associated with these treatments?
- Will this happen again?
- How should I change my diet or activities?
Don't hesitate to ask any other questions.
What to expect from the doctor
A healthcare professional who sees you for chest pain may ask:
- What symptoms are you having?
- When did the symptoms start?
- Does your pain spread to any other parts of your body?
- Does your pain briefly get worse with each heartbeat?
- What words would you use to describe your pain?
- On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst, how bad is your pain?
- Does exercise or physical activity make your symptoms worse?
- Do you have a family history of heart conditions?
- Are you being treated or have you recently been treated for any other health conditions?