Broken Heart Syndrome

Sadness and stress could cause real physical pains, and they might lead to broken heart syndrome. Despite the fact that the complications of this condition are rare, they are serious and could be life-threatening in some cases.

Broken heart syndrome

Broken heart syndrome is a short-term condition that causes problems in the heart’s work and weakness in its muscles. This condition usually occurs after an incident that causes physical or emotional stress.

Broken heart syndrome has types: apical (affects the lower part of the heart and is the most common type), mid-ventricular (affects the middle part of the ventricles), basal (affects an area that looks like a ring in the middle of the ventricles), and focal (affects a very tiny area that sticks out of the heart).

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is responsible for more than 2% of patients who visit the doctor thinking that they’re having a heart attack. Broken heart syndrome is characterized that it doesn’t involve a blockage in the coronary arteries like in a heart attack.

Broken heart syndrome affects women more than men (women constitute around 90% of the cases), especially after menopause.

Causes of broken heart syndrome

There isn’t a clear cause for broken heart syndrome, but it’s thought that it happens as a result of the surge of stress hormones, like adrenaline and noradrenaline, which cause temporary damage in the heart.

Some emotional stressors that trigger broken heart syndrome:

• Traumatic and sudden incidents.
• Bad or good news.
• Grief.
• Extreme fear.
• Extreme anger.

Some physical stressors that trigger broken heart syndrome:

• Extreme exhaustion.
• Severe pain.
• Major surgeries.
• Certain conditions, such as seizures, stroke, asthma attacks, hypoglycemia, high fever, and others.

The risk of broken heart syndrome might increase in people who suffer from anxiety or depression, and the risk also increases in women after menopause, probably due to lower estrogen levels that contribute to the heart health.

Symptoms of broken heart syndrome

The symptoms of broken heart syndrome start within minutes up to an hour after the stressful event, and include:

• Shortness of breath.
• Severe and sudden chest pain (angina).
• Weakness of the left ventricular in the heart.
• Fainting in some cases.

Complications of broken heart syndrome

Complications after broken heart syndrome are rare, some of which are:

• Arrhythmias.
• Hypotension.
• Pulmonary edema.
• Heart failure.
• Blood clots in the heart.
• Rupture of the left ventricle in the heart.
• Cardiogenic shock.
• Sometimes, death.

Diagnosis of broken heart syndrome

• Physical examination.
• Blood tests.
• Imaging tests.

Treatment of broken heart syndrome

• There isn’t a specific treatment for broken heart syndrome, but it’s managed like a heart attack until the diagnosis is confirmed.
• Medication to manage the symptoms.
• The risk of broken heart syndrome could be decreased by reducing stress, exercising regularly, following the suitable means to manage anger and stress, and practicing relaxing techniques according to what suits each person.