Simple daily activity could help protect against little known deadly syndrome that strikes thousands of Brits after a bereavement, experts discover

Exercising through the trauma of bereavement can protect against ‘broken heart syndrome’, a study suggests.

Around 5,000 Britons a year are diagnosed with the devastating condition after losing a loved one, doubling their risk of death.

Known formally as Takotsubo syndrome, it causes the heart muscle to suddenly change shape and weaken, leading to symptoms similar to a heart attack.

Now researchers from the University of Aberdeen have found an intensive three month exercise programme, including cycling, running and swimming, or three months of counselling can improve outcomes.

Many elderly people die soon after a spouse has passed away but rarely receive an official diagnosis of Takotsubo syndrome.

Experts say the world-first study has now identified the first possible treatment for the condition, which they hope will be made available on the NHS.

The trial enrolled 76 patients who had been diagnosed with Takotsubo syndrome. Nine out of ten were women and the average age was 66.

They were randomly assigned to receive cognitive behavioural therapy, the exercise programme or standard care.

The exercise group went through a 12-week exercise course which included cycling machines, treadmills, aerobics and swimming, gradually increasing in number of sessions and intensity each week.

Meanwhile, the cognitive behavioural therapy group had 12 one-to-one weekly sessions.

People who took part in the exercise programme were able to walk an average of 528 metres in six minutes by the end of the study, compared to 457 metres at the start.

The average in the cognitive therapy group increased from 402 metres to 458 metres.

There was also an increase in patient’s VO2 max - their body’s maximum oxygen consumption at peak exercise - of 15 per cent in the counselling group and 18 per cent in the exercise group.

In contrast, there was little change in both measures in the patient group that only received standard care, according to findings presented at the European Society of Cardiology congress in Madrid.

Researchers tested the heart’s metabolism using a sophisticated imaging technique called 31P-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, which allowed them to study how patients’ hearts were producing, storing and using energy.

Studies have previously shown that patients with Takotsubo syndrome suffer impaired heart metabolism long term.

After 12 weeks of cognitive behavioural therapy or exercise, there was an increase in the amount of fuel available to patients’ hearts to allow them to pump, which was not seen in people who had usual care.

Researchers will now test whether the treatments improve patients’ health and reduce their risk of dying over a longer period.

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Study author Dr David Gamble said: ‘In Takotsubo syndrome, there are serious effects on the heart, which may not return to normal.

‘We know that patients can be affected for the rest of their lives and that their long-term heart health is similar to people who have survived a heart attack.

‘These results further highlight the importance of “the brain-heart axis”.

‘It shows that cognitive behavioural therapy or exercise could help patients along the road to recovery.’

Pop star Sinead O’Connor was said to have died from a ‘broken heart’ in 2023 after her 17-year old son Shane killed himself.

Her ex-partner Dermot Hayes, who dated singer Sinead for two years, said: ‘From this you can surmise that a broken heart is a real illness symptom, and a cause of death.

‘It doesn’t make Sinead’s passing any less painful. It was more to do with a broken heart than anything else.’

The 56-year-old was not diagnosed with Takotsubo syndrome and officials said she had died of natural causes.

Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, director at the British Heart Foundation, which funded the study, said: ‘Takotsubo syndrome can be a devastating condition that can affect you at a really vulnerable time if triggered by a major life event.

‘It is intriguing that this study also showed that cognitive behavioural therapy improved heart function and patients’ fitness.

‘More research is needed to find out whether these approaches improve survival or symptoms over the long term.’