As a medical professional, I can tell you that while the term "broken heart syndrome," also known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy, is often used to describe a condition where emotional stress can lead to symptoms that mimic a heart attack, it is not a literal heartbreak that causes death. The condition is typically triggered by severe emotional or physical stress and can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, and even heart failure. However, it is generally reversible and not directly fatal. The most common cause of death from a heart attack is cardiogenic shock, which is a severe and life-threatening form of heart failure. While it's possible for severe emotional distress to exacerbate underlying heart conditions leading to such a shock, simply experiencing the emotional pain of a broken heart does not directly cause death. read more >>

The most common signs and symptoms of broken heart syndrome are angina (chest pain) and shortness of breath. You can experience these things even if you have no history of heart disease. ... (When people die from heart attacks, cardiogenic shock is the most common cause of death.)read more >>