I BLAME BILL CLINTON: ‘Broken heart’ syndrome diagnoses up in last 15 years, study says. “The number of Americans diagnosed with ‘broken heart’ syndrome has steadily risen in the past 15 years — with the vast majority being women, a new study finds. The condition, which doctors call stress cardiomyopathy, appears similar to a heart attack – with symptoms such as chest pain and breathlessness. But its cause is entirely different: Experts believe it reflects a temporary weakness in the heart muscle owing to a surge in stress hormones.”