Short Takes - 2005-02-11

The sudden death of a loved one really can cause a broken heart, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. They found in 19 patients between 1999 and 2003 that a tragic or shocking event can stun the heart and produce classic heart attack-like symptoms, including chest pain, shortness of breath and fluid in the lungs. Unlike a heart attack, the condition is reversible. They dubbed the condition "broken heart syndrome." Their report appears in the New England Journal of Medicine.