History and literature is awash with tragic heroes and heroines dying from a broken heart. In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Lady Montague is reported by her husband to have died of a broken heart after her son’s tragic death and King Lear perishes shortly after discovering the murder of his daughter Cordelia. But did you know “broken heart syndrome”, known more formally as acute stress-induced cardiomyopathy or Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy, is a recognised condition? Consultant cardiologist and British Heart Foundation cardiovascular scientist at the University of Aberdeen Dr Dana Dawson will discuss the origins of the medical condition; explain how Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy happens, how it is diagnosed and its possible causes.