Over the past few weeks, Spanish singer Rosalía’s new video Berghain, has kept fans and critics alike busy decoding its hidden meanings. The song serves as the first preview of her upcoming album, LUX. The video has drawn widespread attention for its abundance of hidden messages and symbolic imagery, prompting viewers around the world to decode its meaning.

While interpretations abound — and only the artist knows the full truth — some themes stand out. Beyond references to Snow White, bird symbolism reminiscent of Björk, and religious motifs, the song unmistakably depicts heartbreak and emotional collapse. These themes appear in multiple forms, including a scene featuring an ECG. At its core, the story follows a journey through emotional breakdown and eventual recovery — something that, in medicine, could be compared with the process of diagnosis and treatment.

Takotsubo Syndrome, or Broken-Heart Syndrome

So, can a broken heart truly be treated medically? In fact, there is a real cardiac condition popularly known as “broken-heart syndrome” — clinically referred to as Takotsubo syndrome. It primarily affects women.

To learn more about this disorder, El Médico Interactivo, part of the Medscape Professional Network, spoke with Alberto García-Lledó, MD, PhD, head of the Department of Cardiology at Príncipe de Asturias University Hospital in Madrid, Spain.

“The typical presentation involves chest pain that is often indistinguishable from a heart attack, though sometimes it can appear as sudden shortness of breath or even loss of consciousness,” García-Lledó explained. “It usually occurs during intense emotional stress or an acute illness, which is why it’s commonly known as ‘broken-heart syndrome.’ The heart doesn’t literally break, but its function is disrupted, and it often changes shape temporarily — taking on the form of a Japanese clay pot known as a takotsubo.”

Can a Breakup Affect Cardiovascular Health?

Takotsubo syndrome earns its nickname because it’s closely linked to emotional stress. According to the Spanish Heart Foundation, “85% of the reported cases are postmenopausal women, with sudden and unexpected emotional or physical stress causing an excessive release of adrenaline, which can temporarily damage the heart of some people. Some triggers are usually news of the unexpected death of a loved one, a terrifying medical diagnosis, losing or even gaining a lot of money, a romantic breakup, or a divorce, etc.”

“Stress is a well-established cardiovascular risk factor,” García-Lledó emphasized. “During intense emotional distress, a surge of adrenaline and other hormones causes tachycardia and hypertension, placing acute strain on the heart. That sudden overload can trigger heart failure, angina, heart attacks — or Takotsubo syndrome itself, which may result from direct adrenaline toxicity.”

As for patient profiles, emotional triggers seem to explain much of the difference in incidence between men and women.

“It most commonly affects women, typically those who are middle-aged or postmenopausal,” García-Lledó noted. “Only about 10% of cases occur in men, and for them, physical triggers are more common than emotional ones. Other predisposing factors remain unclear.”

Differentiating From a Heart Attack

Beyond its evocative name and emotional associations, Takotsubo syndrome presents a diagnostic challenge because it is often difficult to distinguish from acute myocardial infarction.

“The symptoms are highly acute, and the pain closely resembles that of a heart attack,” said García-Lledó. “It accounts for between 1% and 4% of acute coronary-like presentations. Although most patients recover fully, mortality in the acute phase is significant — around 5.5% in women and roughly double that in men. Most patients recover completely, though recurrence in subsequent years can occur.”

Because of these uncertainties, García-Lledó emphasized that more research is urgently needed.

“When a patient arrives at the hospital, emergency coronary angiography is typically performed,” he explained. “It will show normal coronary arteries. That finding, combined with echocardiographic imaging and clinical and laboratory data, confirms that it is not a heart attack.”

Treatment, García-Lledó noted, depends on whether ventricular function is impaired. If so, therapy aims to support cardiac recovery using standard heart-failure management protocols. However, he added, “There is no specific treatment for the syndrome itself.”

This story was translated from El Medico Interactivo.