Broken Heart Syndrome – Yes It Happens!

Chronic stress is an underlying threat to a variety of diseases. It puts you and your body under a turmoil which eventually hampers your overall well-being. Finding healthy ways to deal with stress is extremely important. High levels of stress can cause severe cardiovascular diseases. Broken heart syndrome in simple words can be labeled as the dysfunction of the heart muscle due to excessive stress. It is a heart disease that results from stressful situations and extreme emotions. Also known as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy or stress cardiomyopathy, this condition can cause sudden chest pains. People who suffer from broken chest syndrome feel as if they are experiencing a heart attack. The main symptoms of this disease are chest pains, low blood pressure and shortness of breath. What makes this condition different from a heart attack is that in broken heart syndrome, there aren’t any blocked coronary arteries although blood flow in the arteries can be reduced people usually make full recovery.

Even though broken heart syndrome is quite common, the exact cause behind it isn’t known. Emotional or physical stress can be a reason that can trigger the heart to collapse. Death of a loved one, a divorce, grief, anger or even exhausting events such as surprise can cause severe heart muscle weakness. Under this condition, the heart is compromised only for a brief period of time with almost no permanent or long-term damage. Consumption of drugs such as epinephrine or stimulants such as cocaine can release excessive stress hormones that can contribute to broken heart syndrome.

Women are at a higher risk of suffering from broken heart syndrome as compared to men. Physical stress is a risk factor in the development of this heart condition. Depression, anxiety, asthma attack or even surgery can trigger this phenomenon. Most people with broken heart syndrome are at no risk of any heart disease. In serious conditions, broken heart syndrome can escalate and result in the following severities:

• The heart is unable to pump enough blood
• Backup of fluid in your lungs
• Low blood pressure
• Irregular heartbeats

Doctors might use these exams and test to diagnose broken heart syndrome:

• Medical history and physical exam
• Blood tests 
• Coronary angiogram (It is done to rule out heart attack)
• Echocardiogram
• Electrocardiogram (ECG)

Moving further to discuss the treatment of broken heart syndrome, doctors haven’t come up with any standard treatment of this condition. Doctors mostly write down a list of medications that focus on reducing the workload on the heart and most patients are admitted while they recover. Patients make full recovery within a month and are called for follow up check-ups to make sure that the heart is working and has recovered completely.

Footnote

As of now, there is no treatment that can successfully treat or prevent broken heart syndrome. But learning stress management and relaxation technique is necessary to improve both physical and mental health. Practicing healthy ways to deal with stress and anxiety proves beneficial. Avoid alcohol, drugs, and smoking as stimulants to cope with stress.