Broken heart syndrome is more common in postmenopausal women, nonsmokers and whose cholesterol levels, stress and sugar are normal. It comes triggered by intense emotional impact.
Broken heart syndrome is a condition first described in 1990. Until then, many of its symptoms ended not understood until finally coming decade became known that we have a heart condition related to our emotions.
It is also known as Tsubo syndrome, and in 85% of cases, is to trigger an emotional event or a situation of stress high. The reaction suffers heart after this impact occurs minutes or hours later. Something we have to consider this heart condition is that it is very common among women, but not lethal. Means, yes, having to spend a few days in intensive care.
However, in most cases patients usually recover. However, it remains “a warning”, a reaction of our heart that connected with our emotions and psychological pressure of our environment, indicates that there is something we are not doing well. Today in our space we give 3 data to know in depth, what broken heart syndrome is?
Broken heart syndrome and myocardial infarction: similarities and differences
The Tsubo syndrome or broken heart is a cardiomyopathy that occurs abruptly and unpredictable, given without any previous symptoms.
Symptoms usually include:
- Severe pain in the chest.
- Difficulty breathing (shortness of breath and breathlessness).
- Most patients come to the emergency room with the assurance that they are suffering a heart attack.
- Medical tests usually have the same characteristics as myocardial infarction, both biochemical tests and electrocardiogram.
However, the coronary arteries of patients are healthy and they no anomalies, which is already one of the first clues to differentiate this disease from a heart attack.
Just keep in mind that often doctors themselves are faced with the challenge of identifying a clinical picture of another, therefore, the most common is to enter the patient in intensive care and constant monitoring all.
However, cardiologists indicate that a definitive way to diagnose when broken heart syndrome is through an X-ray study, because this disease the left ventricle usually has a small anomaly.
What is really broken heart syndrome?
Broken heart syndrome is caused by stress cardiomyopathy it is still not well known. The first time the disease was described in Japan, and is named for a type of vessel used by the fishermen, the Tako-Tsubo, something curved and narrow neck.
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The heart of patients suffering from this disease has, temporarily, in a similar manner. The cause of the variation of this body can respond to the following reasons:
- After an emotional impact, bad news after a disappointment very intense or very high stress situation, our heart experiences a small change in the left ventricle.
- This change in heart structure is due to an excessive release of catecholamines, similar to adrenaline that, at very high doses, they have a “toxic” substances effect on the heart.
- We suffer heart palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, sweating, increased blood pressure…
- All this biochemical impact will cause the heart muscle change, but that change the left atrium will be temporary.
- Mortality is very low, just 5 percent, people who suffer more complications because they have pre – existing conditions or because they present an advanced age.
- However, the most common is to spend a few days in the hospital and be recovered in a few weeks.
Women and broken heart syndrome
As we indicate numerous studies population and gender on broken heart syndrome, this condition is more common in women aged between 50 and 65 years.
The incidence in men is usually exceeding 10%. Therefore, it is important to bear in mind the following:
- According to the “Heart Foundation” women with higher risk of broken heart syndrome are non-smoking and with normal cholesterol levels, stress and sugar postmenopausal women.
- The most common is that they are women with a very active life, at a given moment, suffering intense emotional impact: the death of a family member, the diagnosis of a serious illness, an emotional problem, a stress level family high…
- Doctors remind us of the need, as far as possible, try to manage these complex situations where we usually put life in the least expected.
Although it sounds easy to say and very difficult to apply, it is necessary to keep our emotions overwhelm us to the point of losing control.
That is when the brain reacts and causes this dangerous release of catecholamines that directly affect the heart. We have to take this into account.