It's official! You can die of a broken heart

The death of a loved one, excitement over sporting matches can trigger a heart attack, a study has revealed.

The research from the Heart Foundation found that earthquakes, terror attacks and missile strikes are also likely to prompt a heart attack, News.com.au reported.

Living alone and having few social contacts is also a key risk factor for a heart attack.

However, the research busts the myth that chronic job stress sharply increases the likelihood of having a heart attack.

A review of 10 years' major heart research was used to develop this paper on psychosocial risk factors for heart disease.

The research also found that there was a 40 percent raise in death from heart attacks in bereaved people in the first six months after the death.

Acute emotional stress such as bereavement was also linked to a heart problem called takotsubo cardiomyopathy - where muscles of heart contract into an hour glass shape causing chest pain and impaired heart function.

Professor Tatoulis said this heart problem was more common in women aged 45-65 who were subjected to acute stress, but it usually resolved over 4-8 weeks.