New Blood Test Identifies 'Broken Heart Syndrome' With 90% Accuracy, Could Spare Patients Unnecessary Surgery

Researchers have developed the BioTAK score — a diagnostic tool combining biological sex with blood biomarkers — that can identify Takotsubo syndrome (broken heart syndrome) with nearly 90% accuracy before patients undergo invasive cardiac catheterization. The AI-assisted scoring system, validated on nearly 1,800 patients, could transform emergency care by distinguishing the condition from heart attacks without invasive procedures.

Key Takeaways

Researchers have developed the BioTAK score — a diagnostic tool combining biological sex with blood biomarkers — that can identify Takotsubo syndrome (broken heart syndrome) with nearly 90% accuracy before patients undergo invasive cardiac catheterization.
The AI-assisted scoring system, validated on nearly 1,800 patients, could transform emergency care by distinguishing the condition from heart attacks without invasive procedures.

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Takotsubo syndrome — commonly known as broken heart syndrome — is a sudden heart condition that most often strikes postmenopausal women, frequently triggered by intense emotional or physical stress. It accounts for about 2% of patients initially thought to be having a heart attack, and up to 1 in 10 women presenting with acute coronary syndrome. Yet the two conditions can be nearly identical in early evaluation, meaning many patients undergo invasive cardiac catheterization before doctors can determine the true cause.

An international team led by researchers at the University of Zurich and University Hospital Zurich has now developed a scoring system that could dramatically reduce the need for such invasive procedures. The BioTAK score combines biological sex with a panel of blood biomarkers linked to cardiovascular processes, using artificial intelligence to identify the most diagnostically useful combination.

In an independent validation study of nearly 1,800 patients, the BioTAK score correctly classified nearly 90% of participants — distinguishing Takotsubo syndrome from heart attacks before catheterization. The results were published in the European Heart Journal.

Two newly identified biomarkers in the score point to what researchers call the brain-heart axis, suggesting Takotsubo develops through mechanisms fundamentally different from atherosclerosis. One protein helps activate neuropeptides involved in stress responses, anxiety, and autonomic nervous system activity. The other is associated with atherosclerotic plaque stability.

"Our study shows that a simple combination of blood biomarkers and biological sex can identify these patients with remarkable accuracy even before cardiac catheterization," said co-first author Florian Wenzl of the University of Zurich and Oxford's Radcliffe Department of Medicine.

The researchers emphasize that the BioTAK score is not a replacement for catheterization when medically necessary. Rather, it could help guide diagnostic procedures more effectively and avoid unnecessary invasive tests in selected patients — potentially saving healthcare resources and sparing patients from unnecessary risk.