Brizzi gives glimpse into broken heart syndrome

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Former Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi found himself in St. Vincent Hospital this past weekend with some of the classic symptoms of a heart attack. But it turns out he has broken heart syndrome.

The 43-year-old attorney and recent defender of Charlie White, Indiana's now-former secretary of state who was found guilty of six counts of voter fraud, admitted to 24-Hour News 8 that he had been experiencing shortness of breath during the trial and in fact for several weeks.

Saturday at a party where several doctors were in attendance, he had his blood pressure and pulse checked, and the doctors advised him to go to the hospital. After several tests, including an EKG and angiogram, doctors diagnosed his problem as too much adrenaline.

"They came out, they said, ‘It's the craziest thing, there is no blockage whatsoever.’
And what was causing it was too much adrenaline,"

Broken heart syndrome is known formally as takotsubo cardiomyopathy. It's discovered when there is a sudden weakening of the heart muscle. For Brizzi, the muscle was in his left ventricle.

He said doctors told him the rest of his heart had to work harder and that contributed to his symptoms.

Brizzi was released from the hospital Valentine's Day. He'll be checking back with his physician in two weeks, and for now is taking beta blockers. He's also been advised to look into meditation or yoga to bring his adrenaline levels in check.

He said he'll continue working and is looking forward to representing a client in the State Fair stage collapse.

He said he doesn't attribute his condition to representing White in that highly charged trial. He also said he didn't speak to White while he was in the hospital.