DThe ying of a broken heart was a figure of speech until 2002 when Dr. Hikaru Sato and associates at Hiroshima City Hospital described in a study, Sato named the condition Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. It was quickly dubbed the “broken heart syndrome”.
Recently, scientists have discovered that you can even die of excessive happiness. And it’s the same condition: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Naturally, this is being called “happy heart syndrome”.
So what is Takotsubo cardiomyopathy – or Takotsubo syndrome, as it is also known? And why do some people die from it?
First, it should be emphasized that takotsubo cardiomyopathy is rarely fatal. Like other cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease), most people recover. within a few months Without heart damage for a long time.
It is so named because people with this condition have an abnormally shaped left ventricle – the main pumping chamber in the heart. Sato thought that the shape – narrow at the top and balloon at the bottom – resembled the ceramic pots used to trap octopuses (Takotsubo), hence the name.
This balloon weakens the heart muscle, affecting its ability to pump blood effectively.
More cases or better awareness?
A study of nearly 135,000 people in the US found that the number of people suffering from the condition increased steadily over 11 years. study was held (2006-2017). It is more common in women (88%) and is most commonly seen in people 50 years of age and older.
Doctors are probably getting more cases now because the better Awareness of condition, people live longer and are better diagnostic equipment to find out.
Until recently, this “broken heart” syndrome was shown to be associated with important emotional or physical stress. The exact mechanism by which stress causes the change in heart shape and its subsequent symptoms – chest pain and shortness of breath – is still not fully understood.
Doctors have noted similar harmful changes in the heart in people with the condition, such as: pheochromocytoma (a rare tumor on the adrenal glands) and the central nervous system disorders, In these situations, there is an excess of catecholamines, which are hormones such as adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine, which are produced by the adrenal glands. This provides an indication of a possible role of these hormones in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.
The role of these hormones in broken heart syndrome has been further substantiated by the ballooning of the heart’s left ventricle, which is being observed in patients treated with these catecholamines. cosmetic rhinoplasty (“nose job”).
In stressful situations, these are catecholamines. increased and they affect the body, especially the heart where they are involved in enlarging the heart Rate And might Of heart beat This effect is no surprise in stressful situations, as often the body and mind go into a fight-or-flight mode, which triggers the release of these catecholamines.
Stressful events that can trigger Takotsubo syndrome Involved Receiving bad news (such as a cancer diagnosis), the loss of a loved one, domestic violence, a car accident, and even public speaking.
flip side
Recently, researchers from Germany Description of patients with Takotsubo syndrome Inspired by happy events such as weddings, the birth of grandchildren and winning the jackpot.
Of the 910 patients included in the study, who had an emotional trigger for Takotsubo syndrome, 37 had happy heart syndrome and 873 had heart syndrome. Unlike broken heart syndrome, which mainly affects women, happy heart syndrome is seen mostly in men.
The researchers found that deaths and complications from happy heart and broken heart syndromes are nearly identical, that is, rare. So don’t worry about getting emotional about the big events of life. They are very unlikely to kill you. But if you feel chest pain or pressure, always seek medical attention.
Adam TaylorProfessor and Director of the Clinical Anatomy Learning Center, Lancaster University
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