Yes, You Can Die From a ‘Broken Heart,’ and Optimism Makes You Live Longer

By Dr. Mercola On December 27, 2016, actress Carrie Fisher, aged 60, died from a heart attack. The very next day, her mother, actress Debbie Reynolds died from a stroke. In the wake of the loss of these two popular Hollywood icons, many have asked whether you can actually die from a broken heart.1,2,3 The short answer to that question is yes. Broken heart syndrome (formally known as stress cardiomyopathy or takotsubo cardiomyopathy) is a real medical condition, triggered by acute, major stress or shock — such as the death of a loved one. Indeed, your heart and mind are closely interlinked, and your mental states can have a distinct influence on your heart health and overall longevity.Symptoms and Risks of Broken Heart Syndrome Symptoms of broken heart syndrome are very similar to those of a heart attack, including chest pain and shortness of breath. The difference is there's no actual damage to the heart to trigger it. Extreme shock or stress may also trigger a hemorrhagic stroke by
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2017/01/12/optimism-promotes-longevity.aspx