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Broken heart syndrome occurs when a person experiences sudden and severe physical or emotional stress, which can quickly weaken the left ventricle of the heart.
The condition, also known as Takotsubo syndrome, refers to cardiomyopathy, diagnosed in patients due to severe emotional or physical stress.
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Here’s what you need to know about the causes, symptoms, and treatment for broken heart syndrome.
What is broken heart syndrome?
Broken heart syndrome, first described in Japan in the 1990s, is a condition in which the function of the left side of the heart muscle is disrupted and the rest of the heart is forced to work very hard to make up for the impairment. This can be dangerous because it negatively affects the heart’s ability to pump blood properly.
Conversely, a heart attack occurs when the blood flow that carries oxygen to the heart is restricted or completely cut off. Although heart attacks and takotsubo cardiomyopathy are two types of heart failure that can cause similar symptoms, there are some major differences to note.
According to Jay Woody, emergency physician and chief medical officer at Intuitive Health, heart attacks often occur due to a blockage caused by a build-up of fat known as plaque in the arterial wall, which can lead to a clot in the arteries. blood vessels that block blood flow to the heart muscle. Meanwhile, “Takotsubo” cardiomyopathy is caused by an intense emotional or physical reaction that directly affects the heart muscle.
And broken heart syndrome can occur even if you’re healthy, according to the American Heart Association, which is why it’s important to understand the causes and symptoms.
What are the causes of broken heart syndrome?
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According to Woody, the name “broken heart syndrome” refers to the fact that this condition can be triggered by emotional traumatic events that negatively affect the heart.
He says the most common example of stress that can lead to this condition is grief over the sudden loss of a family member, but he notes that intense feelings of fear, anger, surprise, and other emotions can also be a trigger.
Some other events that can cause this condition include:
Disturbing an important medical diagnosis (or other bad news)
– Car accident
A devastating financial loss
– Domestic violence
Serious illness
Even positive events, such as attending a surprise party or winning the lottery, can lead to takotsubo cardiomyopathy.
A 2020 study found a slight increase in the number of patients diagnosed with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy since the coronavirus outbreak, and it reached 7.8% from 1.7% before the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, it has been found that patients with this disease during the outbreak spend longer in hospital than those who were admitted there before the outbreak.
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“Whatever the cause of stress, the body reacts to the same thing: releasing a large amount of adrenaline, the stress hormone. In some cases, this can lead to takotsubo cardiomyopathy, ”says Jennifer Heath, cardiologist at Columbia University Center. Heart attack. “
While Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is seen in both younger men and women, a 2015 study found that 89.8% of cases occurred in women between the ages of 58 and 75. It was found that the most common causes are somatic (36%), followed by trauma (27.7%). Notably, no stimulus was found in 28.5% of patients.
The study also found that patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy were almost twice as likely as those with acute coronary syndrome (such as a heart attack) to have a psychiatric or neurological disorder.
Symptoms of broken heart syndrome
“Patients with broken heart syndrome may experience chest pain, shortness of breath, and low blood pressure very soon after a very stressful event,” says Woody.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine and the American Heart Association, other symptoms and signs of takotsubo cardiomyopathy include:
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– Arrhythmia
– heart attack
Sweat
Dizziness
These symptoms can appear minutes to hours after someone experiences a physical or emotional stressful event.
“Some describe it as feeling like an elephant sitting on their chest,” says Heath. “Sweating, jaw pain, left arm pain, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, heart palpitations and discomfort in the middle of the stomach are also possible symptoms.”
“Heart attacks have similar symptoms to broken heart syndrome, so getting a diagnosis is important because heart attacks can be fatal,” says Woody.
Treatment of broken heart syndrome
Although recovery from a heart attack can take two to three months, Woody says that a person usually makes a full recovery from broken heart syndrome in one to six weeks and is fully recovered in one to two months.
A 2015 study found that the death rate in Takotsubo patients was 5.6% per year. Although death is rare, heart failure occurs in about 20% of patients.
The treatment for broken heart syndrome will largely depend on the symptoms that the patient experiences, which Woody says will determine the severity of the condition.
He says doctors often recommend drugs such as beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, and diuretics. They can also give aspirin to patients who have a buildup of plaque in the walls of their arteries.
Source: Business Insider
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