A broken heart can kill you
We all know that a broken heart hurts, from the stabbing shock of being dumped on Valentine’s Day to the deep grief following the loss of a loved one. But there is increasing evidence that shows some people may actually die from heart failure in the wake of extremely emotional events.
British cardiologist Alexander Lyon told the Guardian newspaper yesterday that “broken heart syndrome” could be responsible for about 2 percent of the 300,000 heart attacks that occur every year in the United Kingdom. New research is helping doctors accurately diagnose broken heart syndrome, so that they can learn how common it really is.
It’s thought that a massive surge of adrenaline brings on broken heart syndrome. It can be triggered by both negative and positive events, all the way from grief to winning the lottery. Doctors refer to the syndrome as “stress cardiomyopathy” or “takotsubo cardiomyopathy.”
Unlike a typical heart attack, which occurs because a blockage has formed in one of the heart’s arteries, preventing blood flow, no blockage occurs in broken heart syndrome. Instead, doctors believe that the adrenaline surge can cause the lower chamber of the heart to go into temporary paralysis, which forces the upper chamber to overwork, causing typical heart attack symptoms.
Interestingly, doctors diagnose broken heart syndrome much more frequently in women than in men. The theory is that women may be better able to survive the adrenline surge’s effects on the heart than men, who might die from the heart failure before the condition can be diagnosed. Patients who survive usually fully recover.
It’s Valentine’s Day. It’s a time to cherish that special someone. Now new research shows a broken romance or a lost love can cause real health problems.
Recent studies have shown that people whose spouses die, have a higher chance of suffering a heart attack immediately after the death, especially when they are older. A loss of a love can cause a physical condition known as Broken Heart Syndrome.
Although doctors don’t understand why it happens, it usually occurs after a tragic event.
Dr. Nanette Wagner from the American Heart Association says the symptoms can present very much like a heart attack, including chest pain.
Traditionally, those who suffer from broken heart syndrome do recover. However, cardiologists recommended those who have suffered a loss see their doctor to talk about ways to cope.
The condition, known medically as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, was first described by Japanese researchers in the early 1990s. However, it is still a mystery to many in the medical community.
Symptoms typically mimic a heart attack and tend to follow exposure to an intense physical or emotional event. Experts believe these symptoms may be brought on by the heart’‘s reaction to a surge of stress hormones, like adrenaline, causing a part of the heart to temporarily weaken or become stunned (cardiomyopathy), although the exact mechanism is unknown.
However, it appears that broken heart syndrome is temporary and completely reversible.
Now, research by The Miriam Hospital may shed some light on the clinical characteristics and outcomes of this relatively rare, life-threatening condition.
In the study, researchers created a registry of 70 patients with the syndrome, known medically as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, who were diagnosed between July 2004 and April 2008. Two-thirds of the patients - almost all post-menopausal women - had experienced a very stressful physical or emotional event just before arriving at the hospital with heart attack-like symptoms.
Although 20 percent were critically ill and required emergency treatment to keep them alive, all patients survived the first 48 hours and experienced a full and complete recovery.The report is published in the April 1 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology.
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Analysis by Kate Prengaman