{"id":14622,"date":"2021-12-29T10:00:06","date_gmt":"2021-12-29T16:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=14622"},"modified":"2022-02-09T22:00:58","modified_gmt":"2022-02-10T04:00:58","slug":"a-broken-heart-is-a-serious-problem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/a-broken-heart-is-a-serious-problem\/","title":{"rendered":"A broken heart is a serious problem"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cYou broke my heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

Country song lyrics and classic movie lines immortalized the phrase. But it\u2019s not just a figure of speech.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt actually happens,\u201d said Sudhir Mungee, MD<\/a>, interventional cardiologist at OSF HealthCare.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe term \u2018broken heart\u2019 \u2013 even though it is used figuratively \u2013 is literally right. These are patients who have severe heart muscle dysfunction because some event has broken their heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

The technical term is takotsubo cardiomyopathy<\/a>. But in lay language it\u2019s known as broken-heart syndrome, and it can be as deadly as a heart attack<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Symptoms and causes<\/h2>\n

Takotsubo is the Japanese word for octopus trap, which is what a human heart with this condition resembles. Cardiomyopathy is a weakening of the heart muscle. The left ventricle balloons, due to an intense physical or emotional trauma<\/a>, and some part of the heart maintains its ability to contract.<\/p>\n

Primary symptoms are the same as an acute heart attack \u2013 intense chest pain and shortness of breath. Blood tests, X-rays and electrocardiogram (EKG) results can be similar to a heart attack.<\/p>\n

So the person\u2019s history becomes important to diagnosing the ailment. Loss of a loved one, financial distress, physical violence \u2013 any sort of physical or emotional trauma experienced or witnessed \u2013 can lead to broken-heart syndrome.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWhen you talk to the patient about what happened, they tell you that a few weeks back they had this loss \u2013 so much grief or shock in their life. Then you realize that it could be different from an acute heart attack,\u201d Dr. Mungee said.<\/p>\n

\u201cTypically, the person will experience trauma on Day 1. From Day 1 to Day 5, they experience a surge of hormones. They begin to have chest pain, shortness of breath. They come to the emergency department<\/a>, and it can look like they\u2019re having a heart attack, but they\u2019re not. Their main blood vessels are open, but the heart muscle is weak. They have a broken heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

The value of peace<\/h2>\n

Most people are aware of preventive measures against an acute heart attack<\/a>: Don\u2019t smoke, exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet and avoid stress. Some of those same steps apply to preventing broken-heart syndrome.<\/p>\n

But there\u2019s more.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe mind can rule the heart adversely,\u201d Dr. Mungee said. \u201cYour body is your state of mind<\/a>. There is value to meditation, which by itself has been shown to reduce blood pressure. Stress increases blood pressure, but meditation reduces it. There is value to being at peace.\u201d<\/p>\n

When that peace is disrupted by a traumatic event \u2013 for example, the loss of a spouse or other loved one, a significant financial challenge or being subjected to physical or verbal violence \u2013 the resulting stress can have adverse effects on the heart.<\/p>\n

Take symptoms seriously<\/h2>\n

Dr. Mungee believes broken-heart syndrome is underreported.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany people going through this don\u2019t come to the hospital,\u201d Dr. Mungee said. \u201cThey think it\u2019s just part of their emotional reaction to a traumatic event. They\u2019re feeling heavy in the heart. They\u2019re upset and feel out of breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo not underestimate these symptoms,\u201d Dr. Mungee warned. \u201cIt can get serious. If you are aware of these symptoms, it\u2019s not just because you\u2019re upset. It\u2019s because something major is going on in your body. The mortality rate for broken-heart syndrome is about 5%, which is comparable to an acute heart attack.\u201d<\/p>\n

Quicker, complete recovery<\/h2>\n

The good news is that, unlike an acute heart attack, broken-heart syndrome usually does not cause lasting damage to the heart. Recovery also tends to be quick.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to watch them for the first couple of days or so, but once they\u2019re through the first 48 to 72 hours, they cure up as fast as they went downhill,\u201d Dr. Mungee said. \u201cIt\u2019s like a state of stunning or numbness of the heart muscle on receiving traumatic news. The further you go away from the trauma, the more the heart recovers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emotional support is important<\/h2>\n

Broken-heart syndrome can happen to anybody. But the American College of Cardiology reports that about 90% of broken-heart syndrome cases occur in post-menopausal women<\/a>. Some studies suggest that there might be a genetic component, but more research is required.<\/p>\n

There is also about a 5-10% recurrence rate within one to 10 years, Dr. Mungee said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s mostly in the population that\u2019s at risk: middle-age females who are post-menopausal, diabetic, or have a history of psychiatric problems such as anxiety, depression or schizophrenia. If they have COPD, emphysema or asthma, they\u2019re also predisposed to broken-heart syndrome if they were to experience intense emotional trauma.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you are susceptible to emotional trauma, you must have appropriate family and emotional support<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you are at risk for broken-heart syndrome, counseling can help. If you experience symptoms, see a cardiologist. Talk to your primary care provider<\/a> and ask for a referral.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Loss of a loved one, financial distress, physical violence \u2013 any sort of physical or emotional trauma experienced or witnessed \u2013 can lead to broken-heart syndrome, and it can be as deadly as a heart attack. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":85,"featured_media":14693,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[105],"tags":[830,502,106,1045,816],"coauthors":[912],"class_list":["post-14622","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cardiovascular","tag-depression","tag-emotional-response","tag-heart-disease","tag-menopause","tag-silvercloud"],"yoast_head":"\nA broken heart is a serious problem | OSF HealthCare<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Physical or emotional trauma can cause broken-heart syndrome, especially in post-menopausal women. 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