The exact cause of broken heart syndrome is unknown. It is generally thought to be caused by a surge of stress hormones, such as adrenaline, that suddenly causes the heart to temporarily enlarge, decrease the pumping action and possibly restrict one or more of the coronary arteries.
Stress cardiomyopathy is different from a heart attack. A heart attack is usually caused by acute cessation of blood flow in one of the coronary arteries due to blood clots formed on a ruptured cholesterol plaque. In stress cardiomyopathy, the arteries are not blocked but blood flow in the arteries may be reduced.
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