It may be the first time for you to hear about this syndrome "Broken Heart Syndrome" but it is a real condition which may be fatal in some cases. The condition was originally called Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy. Today, it's also referred to as Stress Cardiomyopathy, Stress-Induced Cardiomyopathy or Apical Ballooning Syndrome. Broken heart syndrome is a temporary heart condition brought on by stressful situations, such as the death of a loved one. People with broken heart syndrome may have sudden chest pain or think they're having a heart attack. These broken heart syndrome symptoms may be brought on by the heart's reaction to a surge of stress hormones. In broken heart syndrome, a part of your heart temporarily enlarges and doesn't pump well, while the remainder of the heart functions normally or with even more forceful contractions. Symptoms : The symptoms of broken heart syndrome are treatable, and the condition usually reverses itself in about a week. Broken heart syndrome symptoms can mimic a heart attack. Common symptoms include: chest pain Shortness of breath An irregular heartbeat A generalized weakness Causes: The exact cause of broken heart syndrome is unclear. It's thought that a surge of stress hormones, such as adrenaline, might temporarily damage the hearts of some people. How these hormones might hurt the heart or whether something else is responsible isn't completely clear. A temporary constriction of the large or small arteries of the heart may play a role. Broken heart syndrome is often preceded by an intense physical or emotional event. Broken heart syndrome is not similar to heart attack , cause in heart attack mostly there is a cause like a blood clot which blocks any of the cardiac arteries leading to diminished heart blood supply. Broken heart syndrome affects women far more often than men. It appears that most people who have broken heart syndrome are women 50 or older. Complications : In rare cases, broken heart syndrome is fatal. However, most who experience broken heart syndrome quickly recover and don't have long-lasting effects. Other complications of broken heart syndrome include: Disruptions in your heartbeat A fast or slow heartbeat Backup of fluid into your lungs (pulmonary edema) It's also possible that you may have broken heart syndrome again if you have another stressful event. Treatment : There are no standard treatment guidelines for treating broken heart syndrome. Treatment is similar to treatment for a heart attack until the diagnosis is clear. Most people stay in the hospital while they recover. Once it's clear that broken heart syndrome is the cause of your symptoms , medications like angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, beta blockers or diuretics can be prescribed. These medications help reduce the workload on your heart while you recover and may help prevent further attacks. Many patients make a full recovery within one to two months. Procedures that are often used to treat a heart attack, such as balloon angioplasty and stent placement, or even surgery, are not helpful in treating broken heart syndrome. These procedures treat blocked arteries, which are not the cause of broken heart syndrome. However, coronary angiography is often used to diagnose exactly what's the cause of the chest pain. Source
I think Japanese doctors like to invent syndroms, just like 'retired husband syndrome'. I would like to know if it is the shape of the ventricule only in broken heart or generally in stress, fear, excitement, etc.
We just had one at my facility. Pts husband died...pt had CP and SOB, hx stage 1 HTN only. Her EF dropped to less than 25% and was up to 40% when she was DC'd from ICU.
I have personally witnessed by first hand one case. This was a 52yo women that developed the whole picture in the next 48 hours after she and her family were robbed at gunpoint by a group of criminals that broke into her home in the middle of the night. She stayed in the ICU for almost a week and I served as the consulting psychiatrist.
This is a real condition which happens in "grief" periods,also when somebody is severely disappointed,and mostly happens in "lovers"! Interestingly in Persian,they call it"Del Shekasteh" which is the same translation as "Broken Heart".
Interesting. We need more attention in others causes of chest pain. Emotion like others conditions deserve more investgation.
I have seen quite few patients come through our facility. Patients mainly experience huge stress in their lives eg loss of a family member, going through a very messy divorce or just a very stressful period in their lives. All had CP, SOB also ECG changes. Interesting topic
This KMP is occur more often, than is thinking about. When you see apical and medial diskinesis of left ventricle and normal function basis of this on echocardiography, you should think on it. Possible causes are hypersensitive reaction to katecholamis (adrenaline, noradrenaline) due to stress of patient. But etiology is still unclear.
