Dorothy Lee and her husband were driving home from a study group one night when their car suddenly hit something.
Dorothy
Lee
and
her
husband
were
driving
home
from
a
study
group
one
night
when
their
car
suddenly
hit
something
.
Mrs.
Mrs
.
Lee looked at her husband, who was driving, and saw his head move down and up several times and fall.
Lee
looked
at
her
husband
,
who
was
driving
,
and
saw
his
head
move
down
and
up
several
times
and
fall
.
In the next minutes Mrs Lee managed to avoid a serious accident while stopping the car, called 911 on her cellphone and tned to make her husband come back to life before an ambulance arrived.
In
the
next
minutes
Mrs
Lee
managed
to
avoid
a
serious
accident
while
stopping
the
car
,
called
911
on
her
cellphone
and
tned
to
make
her
husband
come
back
to
life
before
an
ambulance
arrived
.
But at the hospital, soon after learning her husband had died of sudden heart trouble, Dorothy's heart appeared to give out as well.
But
at
the
hospital
,
soon
after
learning
her
husband
had
died
of
sudden
heart
trouble
,
Dorothy
's
heart
appeared
to
give
out
as
well
.
She experienced sudden sharp pains in her chest, lost senses and knew nothing.
She
experienced
sudden
sharp
pains
in
her
chest
,
lost
senses
and
knew
nothing
.
Doctor's of that hospital were surprised at finding: There wasn't any evidence of heart trouble.
Doctor
's
of
that
hospital
were
surprised
at
finding
:
There
was
n't
any
evidence
of
heart
trouble
.
Finally, doctors thought that Mrs.
Finally
,
doctors
thought
that
Mrs
.
Lee had suffered from a broken-heart syndrome.
Lee
had
suffered
from
a
broken-heart
syndrome
.
The disease looks like heart trouble, but appears to have little conncection with heart trouble.
The
disease
looks
like
heart
trouble
,
but
appears
to
have
little
conncection
with
heart
trouble
.
It is caused mainly by stress and other strong feelings.
It
is
caused
mainly
by
stress
and
other
strong
feelings
.
The disease is uncommon, making up for about 1% to 2% of people - and about 6% of women - who are likely to suffer such sudden heart trouble.
The
disease
is
uncommon
,
making
up
for
about
1
%
to
2
%
of
people
-
and
about
6
%
of
women
-
who
are
likely
to
suffer
such
sudden
heart
trouble
.
It can be very dangerous sometimes, but for the most part patients recover quickly, with no lasting damage to their hearts.
It
can
be
very
dangerous
sometimes
,
but
for
the
most
part
patients
recover
quickly
,
with
no
lasting
damage
to
their
hearts
.
If patients are hospitalized with the broken-heart syndrome, their hearts might be beating as little as 20% of what it should work.
If
patients
are
hospitalized
with
the
broken-heart
syndrome
,
their
hearts
might
be
beating
as
little
as
20
%
of
what
it
should
work
.
But within 48 to 72 hours, many recover to the 60% level that is considered healthy.
But
within
48
to
72
hours
,
many
recover
to
the
60
%
level
that
is
considered
healthy
.
It is uncommon.
It
is
uncommon
.
Mrs.
Mrs
.
Lee's heart was so weakened by her husband's death that she nearly died.
Lee
's
heart
was
so
weakened
by
her
husband
's
death
that
she
nearly
died
.
The 63-year-old woman needed a special balloon pump during the first days m the hospital.
The
63-year-old
woman
needed
a
special
balloon
pump
during
the
first
days
m
the
hospital
.
But in spite of warnings by her doctors, she attended her husband's funeral five days later.
But
in
spite
of
warnings
by
her
doctors
,
she
attended
her
husband
's
funeral
five
days
later
.
Dorothy Lee and her husband were driving home from a study group one night when their car suddenly hit something. Mrs. Lee looked at her husband, who was driving, and saw his head move down and up several times and fall. In the next minutes Mrs Lee managed to avoid a serious accident while stopping the car, called 911 on her cellphone and tned to make her husband come back to life before an ambulance arrived. But at the hospital, soon after learning her husband had died of sudden heart trouble, Dorothy's heart appeared to give out as well. She experienced sudden sharp pains in her chest, lost senses and knew nothing.  Doctor's of that hospital were surprised at finding: There wasn't any evidence of heart trouble. Finally, doctors thought that Mrs. Lee had suffered from a broken-heart syndrome. The disease looks like heart trouble, but appears to have little conncection with heart trouble. It is caused mainly by stress and other strong feelings. The disease is uncommon, making up for about 1% to 2% of people - and about 6% of women - who are likely to suffer such sudden heart trouble. It can be very dangerous sometimes, but for the most part patients recover quickly, with no lasting damage to their hearts. If patients are hospitalized with the broken-heart syndrome, their hearts might be beating as little as 20% of what it should work. But within 48 to 72 hours, many recover to the 60% level that is considered healthy. It is uncommon.  Mrs. Lee's heart was so weakened by her husband's death that she nearly died. The 63-year-old woman needed a special balloon pump during the first days m the hospital. But in spite of warnings by her doctors, she attended her husband's funeral five days later.