Thursday, February 10, 2005

Heartbreak Kills



Gathering all the rains
Of May,
The River Mogami rushes down
In one violent stream.


-Basho


As Valentine's Day approaches, scientists have confirmed the lament of countless love sonnets and romance novels: People really can die of a broken heart, and the researchers now think they know why.

A traumatic breakup, the death of a loved one or even the shock of a surprise party can unleash a flood of stress hormones that can stun the heart, causing sudden, life-threatening heart spasms in otherwise healthy people, researchers reported yesterday.


- From Study Suggests You Can Die of a Broken Heart, in today's Washington Post

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