Adwoa had locked herself up in her room the whole day, unwilling to speak to anyone. Her 3-year-old courtship with Paul has come to an end.

"My chest felt tight, I couldn't breathe, and I thought I was going to die." Adwoa recounted.

Adwoa shared her experience following the breakdown of her relationship. "I tried not to think of it, but the more I tried, the more it consumed my mind. Initially, I couldn't sleep. I would often perceive my heart pounding in my ears, with tears running down my cheeks. I thought my heart was literally breaking."

Adwoa said though it was a mutual decision to end the relationship, she never anticipated the loss would drive her through such physical pain.

"It didn't feel emotional. I really thought I was having a heart attack." Adwoa clarified.

Broken Heart syndrome also known as Stress Cardiomyopathy is a heart condition that often mimics heart attack.

It was first described in 1990 in Japan, where it was given the name 'Takotsubo' cardiomyopathy. The word 'takotsubo' arises from the name for a Japanese octopus trap. Owing to the structural similarities between the two, 'takotsubo' was found to be a befitting name.

Broken heart syndrome can develop at any age, and typically affects more women than men. Over 90 percent of reported cases worldwide are in women who have attained menopause, often aged 58 to 75.  It also makes up about 2 percent of all heart attacks.

Individuals with recent experiences of severe emotional or physical stress such as, unexpected demise of a loved one, financial loss, relationship break-up and others are commonly affected.

This condition is marked by a weakening and ballooning of the heart's main pumping chamber known as the left ventricle. Patients experience symptoms that include chest pain and shortness of breath, which are common symptoms of heart attack or heart failure. Blood work done on these patients show similar findings as seen in a heart attack.

Prof. Bernard Nkum a Cardiologist at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital had this to say. "This is different from a heart attack, in that the blood vessels supplying the heart are not affected, unlike heart attack where they may be blocked.”

He added, "The person may not have the risk factors of a heart attack such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol or use of illicit drugs. He or she may be normal however, the news of a break in a relationship may lead to such a condition."

Though how the condition develops is not fully understood, scientists explain that severe emotional or physical stress stimulates the release of hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. Elevated levels of these stress hormones cause the heart to overwork, and in turn damages some heart cells, accounting for the structural changes observed in the heart. These occurrences cause the heart to assume the shape of a traditional clay pot having a narrow neck and round base.

According to the Head of Cardiology Department of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Professor Isaac Owusu, "Diagnosis is often made in retrospection. You may have to look at the information repeatedly and exclude other causes in order to arrive at your diagnosis."

Treatment is similar to that of a heart attack. However, "a lot of psychological counselling is needed to optimize patient health," Professor Nkum advised.

Fortunately, almost all affected persons recover with little or no permanent damage to the heart.

So, Adwoa is now doing well and has fully recovered.