Definition By Mayo Clinic Staff 
 
 Broken heart syndrome is a temporary heart condition that's often brought on by stressful situations, such as the death of a loved one. Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is known as "broken heart syndrome" and is characterised by a sudden temporary weakening of the heart muscles that causes the left ventricle of the heart to balloon out at the bottom while the neck remains narrow, creating a shape resembling a Japanese octopus trap, from which it gets its name. Broken heart syndrome can be easily confused with a heart attack because people who experience the syndrome have symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath, the study said. In new research published in the European Health Journal, scientists found that extreme happiness could put just as much of a strain on your heart as severe distress or grief, leading to a condition known as takotsubo syndrome (TTS), or takotsubo cardiomyopathy. The researcher called it that because the heart's bulging appearance in people with the condition resembled the shape of a "takotsubo," or octopus pot. To find out, they analyzed data collected from 1,750 people who were part of the International Takotsubo Registry, a database of men and women in the United States and eight countries in Europe who were diagnosed with the condition. A total of 485 patients had an emotional trigger for their TTS; some four percent of these experienced a happy event before the heart condition occurred. In 2011, Dr Christian Templin, principle investigator and consultant cardiologist, together with Dr Jelena Ghadri, resident cardiologist, established the first International Takotsubo Registry at the University Hospital Zurich in Switzerland. After reviewing both groups' medical records for a variety of factors — such as cardiovascular risks, results from lab and heart imaging tests, symptoms, and hospital stays — the researchers found many similarities between the "happy hearts" and "broken hearts." Perhaps both happy and sad life events, while inherently distinct, share final common pathways in the central nervous system output.” The researchers will continue to study the mechanisms behind different emotional triggers involved in TTS. Most people who experience it make a full recovery within weeks, and they’re at low risk for it happening again (although in rare cases in can be fatal).
– Since at least 1990, scientists have known humans can die of a "broken heart." And while most of the stress that brings on this rare condition, known as takotsubo syndrome (TTS) or stress-induced cardiomyopathy, are heartbreaking—the death of a loved one, divorce, even natural disasters—researchers at University Hospital Zurich in Switzerland now say a small percentage of TTS sufferers came down with the condition after a happy event, a press release notes. This "happy heart" study, published in the European Heart Journal, examined data collected from 1,750 TTS patients who had signed up with the International Takotsubo Registry, a database of both men and women from the US and eight European countries, per Live Science. The researchers found 485 of those with TTS—which temporarily weakens heart muscles and makes the left ventricle balloon at the bottom while the neck stays narrow, causing symptoms similar to a heart attack, including chest pain—had experienced a "definite emotional trigger." Of those triggers, 96% were linked to sad or stressful events, but 4% were tied to joyous events such as a surprise party or a favorite sports team winning a game. A stunning 95% of both "broken heart" and "happy heart" patients were women. There was a slight difference in how the TTS played out, too: More "happy heart" patients (35%) had hearts that ballooned out in the mid-ventricle than their brokenhearted counterparts (16%), though researchers have to study this more to see what it means. "We believe that TTS is a classic example of an intertwined feedback mechanism, involving the psychological and/or physical stimuli, the brain, and the cardiovascular system," co-author Dr. Christian Templin says. "Perhaps both happy and sad life events, while inherently distinct, share final common pathways in the central nervous system output, which ultimately lead to [TTS]." (Yoga may help TTS patients.)