Dying of a Broken Heart Can Happen

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The woman had the defibrillator implant for about six months, and it had never activated other than that one time. Since the jolt is fairly minor, she didn't realize she'd been shocked until a few weeks later, when Sweeney checked the defibrillator and was able to determine the exact moment when it went off.

The women then thought back to what she was doing that day in March 2005, at that time, and realized she was at her sister-in-law's funeral. According to Sweeney, she is still alive and doing well.

"One of the take-home messages is that better technology is allowing us to draw closer and closer to an understanding about how a stressor would affect the heart," said Samuel Sears, professor of psychology and internal medicine at East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C.

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Referring to a case in which a man died after bowling a perfect 300 score, he said negative emotions aren't the only kinds that can lead to trouble.

Sears suspects that adrenalin plays a major role in the deaths. He added that victims may be killed when bits of debris within arteries known as plaque sheer off and form fatal blockages.

Still, it's important to keep the report in perspective, said Thomas Kamarck, professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh.

"Sudden cardiac death in the absence of pre-existing cardiac disease is rather unusual," he said. "Managing one's stress is important, but it is important not to lose focus on the powerful behaviors that contribute to the underlying plaque, such as smoking, overeating, and sedentary behavior."

More information

Learn more about sudden cardiac death from the American Heart Association.

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