You Can Actually Die of a Broken Heart — Here’s the Science

My grandfather died 17 years ago in April 2002. After he passed away, my grandma came to live with us. She had severe dementia that affected her speech. She did not communicate with lucid, complete sentences. I might say “Hi, Grandma,” and she would respond with “Tippy, tippy, tippy.”

She only spoke coherently when she talked about my grandpa. Sitting in front of the television watching The Lawrence Welk Show, she turned to me and said “I miss him so much.” If prompted, she wouldn’t say it again, and her speech returned to unintelligible.

Other family members reported similar experiences. My aunt recalled another instance while sitting with my grandma on the porch. Sitting without talking, my grandma turned to her and said “It was the worst day of my life.” We think she meant the day my grandpa passed away.

My grandma died in December 2002, less than eight months after my grandpa. We say she died of a broken heart. We never realized how accurate that probably was.

Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy

Our emotions have a direct physical effect on our heart. Studies show grief can cause abnormalities in the parasympathetic nervous system, which regulates unconscious functions while the body is at rest — i.e. breathing, heartbeat, digestion…