Here’s
to your health
Suffering a broken heart? Call 9-1-1
It
is rare to die of a broken heart, but it is a real condition
that is still a mystery to many in the medical community.
It is brought on by shocking news or physical stressors
and its symptoms mimic a heart attack. The symptoms may
be brought on by the heart’s reaction to a surge
of stress hormones. Medical News Today reports that that
may cause a part of the heart to “temporarily weaken
or become stunned.” The exact mechanism, however,
is not known.
As stated above, broken heart syndrome may mimic a heart
attack. Common symptoms are chest pains or shortness of
breath. Other complications may include disruptions
in heartbeat,
fast or slow heartbeat, or backup of fluid into the lungs.
Researchers in a Johns Hopkins study discovered patients
with broken heart syndrome had different clinical features
than a typical heart attack, showing that something different
was happening. For example, an angiogram showed no blockages
in the arteries supplying the heart. Also, blood tests
did not reveal highly elevated levels of cardiac enzymes
that
are released into the blood stream from damaged heart
muscle. And MRIs showed no irreversible muscle damage. There are not standard treatment guidelines for treating
broken heart syndrome. It’s treated similar to a heart
attack until the diagnosis is clear and most people stay
in the hospital while they recover. Most people who experience
broken heart syndrome recover quickly and have no long-lasting
effects. Broken heart syndrome affects more women than men. According
to the Mayo Clinic, some research has indicated 9 out of
10 cases occur in women and nearly all are in women aged
50 and older. [Sources: Medical News Today, Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins
Medicine]
|
