The recent passing of Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds shocked the world and made us think about how life is so precious. It also made us wonder if you can die from a broken heart, and the answer is—yes. Broken heart syndrome is a real thing and this happens when someone finds out some shocking news, terrible news, that can trigger a massive release of stress hormones that are released into the bloodstream.
When this happens, the heart is bombarded with stress hormones, which can cause chest pain, shortness of breath and extreme changes in blood pressure. When stress hormones attack the heart, they change its rhythm, speeding and slowing the heart in succession, causing a lot of pain and leaving someone gasping for air.
In some cases, broken heart syndrome can actually lead to fluid getting into the lungs; it can lead to dangerous changes in blood pressure, and eventually lead to a heart attack and death. This syndrome is more common among women over the age of 50, people with a history of neurological problems like seizures, and those with a history of mental problems. People that have untreated depression and untreated anxiety disorders are at a higher risk for having heart disease and heart attacks.
We don’t know if Debbie Reynolds had a history of heart disease, but based on the sequence of events and her beloved daughter dying just one day before she fell ill, there’s a good chance that the grief of Carrie dying was too much for her to handle. Todd Fisher, Carrie’s brother and Debbie’s son said that Debbie was making plans for Carrie’s funeral when she said, “I miss her so much, I want to be with Carrie.” Approximately 15 minutes later she suffered what they believe was a stroke. Debbie and Carrie leave behind, Todd Fisher, Debbie’s son, and Billie Lourd, Carrie’s daughter, as well as countless fans around the world that are sending their love to their family during this very difficult time.