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Posted on Feb 22, 2018, 9 p.m.
Broken heart syndrome occurs during stressful and emotional times such as death, romantic breakup, financial issues, and serious medical diagnosis. Sometimes the symptoms can be mistaken for a heart attack.
On VD Day, individuals who have been unlucky at love will be said to suffer from a broken heart, which can be true. Broken heart can also refer to an actual medical condition that feels like a heart attack.
Broken heart syndrome occurs during stressful and emotional times such as death, romantic breakup, financial issues, and serious medical diagnosis. Sometimes the symptoms can be mistaken for a heart attack.
On VD Day, individuals who have been unlucky at love will be said to suffer from a broken heart, which can be true. Broken heart can also refer to an actual medical condition that feels like a heart attack.
Broken heart syndrome is a real thing, and is also known as stress induced cardiomyopathy, transient apical ballooning syndrome, or Takosubo’s cardiomyopathy. Underlying causes of the condition are not fully known, but it is thought to be secondary to the release of stress hormones and adrenaline that have a deleterious effect on the heart.
Broken heart syndrome is heart attack like and can be very alarming, but it is usually reversible with no long last effects on the heart muscle. Most regain cardiac function within a fairly short period of time.
Symptoms include difficulty breathing and chest pain, which is why it can easily be mistaken for heart attack, and often difficult to tell the difference. Broken heart syndrome is more common in women, and typically occurs in patients older than 50, although it can occur in younger men and women.
If you are experiencing symptoms such as difficulty breathing and chest pain it is always best to call 911 and seek immediate medical assistance.
Materials provided by Loyola University Health System.
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