Therapy, exercise may help 'broken heart syndrome' patients: Study
A new study says that therapy and exercise might actually help people recover from "broken heart syndrome"—a real, stress-triggered heart condition that feels a lot like a heart attack.
Researchers shared these findings this week at the European Society of Cardiology annual congress in Madrid.
CBT, exercise groups saw real improvements
In the trial, mostly women around age 66 tried either 12 weeks of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), personalized exercise, or just standard care.
Both the CBT and exercise groups saw real improvements: their hearts worked better, they could walk farther, and their overall fitness went up—VO2 max increased by up to 18%.
The takeaway? Simple mental health support or regular movement could make a big difference for people dealing with this tough condition.
More research is on the way to see how long these benefits last.