After a death, how much can 'broken heart' hurt survivors?

Syndrome may have been factor in George Bush illness

This March 8, 2017 file photo shows former U.S. President George H.W. Bush and former first lady Barbara Bush at an awards ceremony hosted by Congregation Beth Israel in Houston. George, who will turn 94 in June 2018, was hospitalized Sunday, with sepsis, an infection that spread to his bloodstream It's a serious condition at any age, but he is said to be responding to treatments and recovering. - photo by Associated Press

W broken — This March 8, 2017 file photo shows former U.S. President George H.W. Bush and former first lady Barbara Bush at an awards ceremony hosted by Congregation Beth Israel in Houston. George, who will turn 94 in June 2018, was hospitalized Sunday, with sepsis, an infection that spread to his bloodstream It's a serious condition at any age, but he is said to be responding to treatments and recovering. - photo by Associated Press

You hear it whenever someone gets sick or dies soon after losing a spouse: Was it because of a broken heart? Stress might not be to blame for former President George H.W. Bush's hospitalization a day after his wife's funeral, but it does the body no favors, and one partner's health clearly affects the other's. A sudden shock can trigger a heart attack or something like it called broken heart syndrome .

Associated Press

Associated Press