Whether it’s the trauma of a loved one’s death or the excitement of a lottery win, a shock can be fatal, experts have claimed.
Research suggests that a startling revelation can pose a danger to health whether the news is positive or negative.
And it seems women who have just been through the menopause are most at risk, the Daily Mail reported.
Researchers said that they have identified how emotional trauma can trigger a potentially lethal catastrophe they call the “broken heart syndrome”.
They said the news causes the body to produce large amounts of stress hormones including adrenaline, which narrows the main arteries, which supply blood to the heart. This paralyses the heart’s main pumping chamber.
The victim will suddenly find it very difficult to breathe, have sharp pains in their chest and may feel very weak. Some die, although many recover.