People have long known that emotional trauma can affect the body, especially the heart. A heart disease, commonly known as “broken heart syndrome”, occurs after a person suffers from extreme emotional stress. Doctors in southern Israel have noticed a sudden increase in these heart-related cases following the Israel-Gaza conflict in October 2023. This trend has led to a focus investigation by medical teams related to Negev Ben Gurion University.
Dr. Sharon Bruoha and his team conducted research at Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon and Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheva. The two hospitals care for many people living in conflict-affected areas. These findings are presented in the Medical Journal of ESC Heart Failure, which reviews and publishes health-related research.
During the first and most intense stage of the conflict, several emotionally-induced broken heart syndrome were recorded. This is far beyond what was seen at the same time a year ago. At Barzilai Medical Center, this condition represents a significant share of all hospital visits related to emergency hearts. The increase is not a small change, it marks a significant change. A similar pattern was observed at Soroka Medical Center. Each patient’s heart event can be associated with highly stressful experiences caused by war, such as rocket warning sirens, explosions nearby, losing family members in battle, or facing armed attackers at home.
Almost all patients were female, mainly in the early sixties, although some were young. These young patients who are not of the age group are often associated with this type of heart problem. All of them experienced a profound emotional shock, a feeling that the medical team described as “the risk of being annihilated”, a strong fear of their lives. The study highlights the severity of these cases, with patients showing obvious signs of heart damage and elevated stress levels. Dr. Bruoha explained: “All patients are faced with an urgent risk of annihilation, representing an extremely intense psychological distress.”
Disturbingly, this heart disease (often seen as a mild and short life) exhibits a more dangerous pattern in these situations. Each patient’s heart pumping ability is greatly reduced. Some people also experience serious complications, including heart valve problems, lung fluids called pulmonary edema, and even complete heart stops, which are medically called cardiac arrest. “In the current series, all patients with high-risk characteristics,” Dr. Bruoha noted. “This ominous clinical manifestation contradicts the benign phenotype reported by a large number of patients who have emotionally triggered Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.”
Doctors observed that most of these cases occurred in the first few weeks after the battle began. As time goes by, even if the conflict continues, few new cases are reported. This pattern suggests that people may be emotionally desensitized or mentally adjusted even if external dangers persist. “It is interesting that despite the ongoing terror, most patients who occurred during the first three weeks of the conflict detected only one patient at the end of the surveillance period,” Dr. Bruoha noted.
The patients in this group also included some young people, and about half of them had previously diagnosed mental or brain-related diseases such as anxiety or neurological disorders. This connection suggests that people with these conditions may be more likely to experience severe cardiac reactions under extreme emotional stress. Although young people generally respond less severely to emotional trauma, prolonged fear during national crisis may have changed this usual pattern.
Dr. Bruoha and colleagues stressed that events like war can cause serious health problems that go far beyond physical harm. The findings show that in conflict, people do not need to suffer physical harm to life-threatening consequences. “It is important that a serious national crisis may contribute to a form of takotsubo cardiomyopathy (usually a temporary heart disease caused by stress), with high risk characteristics, younger age, and less likely to be caused by emotional stress associated with personal disasters compared to Takotsubo myocardial therapy,” Dr. Bruooha concluded.
Journal Reference
Bruoha S., Star A., Givaty G., Shilo M., Friger M., Chitoroga V., Shmueli H., Abramowitz Y., Asher E., Jafari J., Shlyakhover V., Zahger D., Zahger D., Haim M., Haim M., Yosefy C. ESC Heart Failure, 2025; 12:1494–1498. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.15080
About the Author
Dr. Sharon Bruja He is a cardiologist located at the Medical Center of Barzilai University and an affiliated teacher at the Negev Ben Gurion University in Israel. She focuses on cardiovascular health and develops strong clinical and academic characteristics in diagnosis and treatment of heart disease, especially heart disease associated with emotional and psychological stress. Her research interests include the link between trauma and cardiac function, an area where she provides valuable insights through clinical nursing and scientific research. Dr. Bruoha played a central role in a recent investigation, exploring how large-scale crises, such as armed conflict, can affect the heart health of civilians. She is recognized for her collaborative work with multidisciplinary teams and her commitment to promoting knowledge about stress-related cardiovascular diseases. Her dedication to patient care and research makes her a leader voice that understands the intersection between emotional trauma and heart health.
