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Broken Heart Suffering grief can dangerously throw the heart out of rhythm
Emotional stress can be on the heart. The patients experience similar symptoms, as in a heart attack. This condition has been known as Broken Heart Syndrome for about 20 years. If one assumed for a while that the consequences are not severe, one knows today that permanent damage can arise.
"It broke her heart" - that's what they say. Those who suffer from heartache suffer from a heartbreak. There are scenes in some older films in which a person breaks down with grief on the heart. That this can happen in reality, the doctors know only recently. Only 20 years ago, the Broken Heart syndrome became known. Researchers have now discovered that broken heart syndrome (Broken Heart syndrome) can actually lead to prolonged damage to the heart muscle.
Similar to a heart attack. "Broken-heart syndrome is a heart muscle disease that is triggered by a high level of stress hormones," says Felix Schröder from the Heart and Vascular Center at the Albertinen Hospital in Hamburg, who has just written a book about the heart. (Image: Robert Kneschke / fotolia.com) Researchers at the University of Aberdeen found in their study that the so-called Tako-Tsubo syndrome (Broken Heart Syndrome) can lead to long-lasting damage to the heart muscle. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography".
Heart movements have been delayed and reduced
In the UK alone, Tako-Tsubo syndrome affects about 3,000 people each year. In the current study, a total of 52 Tako-Tsubo patients were medically monitored over a four-month period, the researchers said. With the help of ultrasound and MRI scans of the heart, the experts found that the disease had a lasting effect on the heart's movements. "The twisting movement of the heart, which makes this during the heartbeat, has been delayed and the squeezing movement of the heart has been reduced," explain the authors of the study.
Long-term survival rates similar to a heart attack
In addition, the scientists found that parts of the heart muscle are replaced by fine scars. This reduces the elasticity of the heart and prevents it from contracting properly, say the scientists. The results of the study may help explain why the so-called Takotsubo syndrome leads to similar long-term survival rates as in people with a heart attack, say the scientists.
Broken Heart Syndrome causes long-lasting damage to the heart
So far it has been said that people with the Tako-Tsubo syndrome recover fully even without medical intervention. However, the study has now shown "that this disease has much longer lasting harmful effects on the hearts of those affected than was suspected," the researchers said in a statement on the study's findings.
Disease occurs more often
"Recent studies have shown that this disease is not as rare as we previously thought," say the authors. The effects of the so-called broken heart syndrome on the heart of patients are so serious that this issue should be taken quite seriously.
Recovery may take longer or not occur at all
The study has clearly shown that in some patients with Tako-Tsubo syndrome, various aspects of cardiac function are abnormally affected for up to four months. Of particular concern is the fact that the hearts of the patients have some form of scarring. This suggests that a full recovery in such individuals may take much longer or at worst does not occur, say the authors. The findings underscore the need to "develop urgently new and more effective treatments for the devastating syndrome," the study authors emphasize. (sb, as)