You hear people tell stories about loved ones dying of a broken heart. You might think it's dramatic, but it is a real medical condition called Broken Heart Syndrome.
Doctors say it is a temporary heart condition that is triggered by emotional stress.
"It is still a form of heart attack, the difference here is that the arteries are open and the pump of the heart is just really badly affected, so almost the entire heart is affected," said Dr. Harmony Reynolds at NYU Langone Medical Center.
She said the condition mostly affects women, according to doctors.
Some events that trigger it could be the death of a loved one or even a big surprise.
Researchers aren't sure why it happens to some people and not others.
"Many of the patients have sky-high adrenaline levels and other levels of hormones so we think that may be a way that the body is expressing a reaction to stress," said Dr. Reynolds.
Doctors said they see about 30,000 cases of Broken Heart Syndrome every year in the United States. In most cases, the heart recovers within three months.
WFMY News 2