By Paul Bass
Final year medical student
University of the Gambia
It was late in the night when a young lady was rushed into the hospital by her family. She was brought in because of severe chest pain, difficulty in breathing, sweating, and a sudden collapse.
After evaluating the patient, the Doctor diagnosed her with Broken heart syndrome, a condition also known as Takosubo cardiomyopathy.
The term’ broken heart’ might seem like a joke that merely expresses anger and disappointment in times of distress, but in reality, a broken heart can be life-threatening and, in rare cases, may prove fatal.
What is broken heart syndrome?
According to the American Heart Association, broken heart syndrome, also known as stress-induced cardiomyopathy and Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, is a condition in which a part of the heart, most specifically the left ventricle, balloons out and enlarges, temporarily stopping it from pumping blood normally. Broken Heart Syndrome mimics a heart attack in almost every way except for the fact that coronary vessels (vessels that supply blood to the heart) are not blocked as is the case in a heart attack.
How common is this condition?
A study by Varul et al., published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in 2021, examined data from 2006 to 2017 and identified 135,463 recorded cases of Broken Heart Syndrome in the United States. With women between 50 and 74 years old being the most affected by this condition.
Current global research puts its prevalence at 2% of all cases of heart attack and 10% of women who present with heart attack. The reported cases so far show that 85-90% of those who presented with Broken Heart Syndrome are women. This emphasises the fact that even in matters of the heart, sex and gender differences cannot be ignored.
Varul et al. also found an increasing trend in Broken Heart Syndrome cases among both sexes and across all age groups, but the sharpest rise is among postmenopausal women (women above the age of 50, to be specific).
Risk factors: What breaks the heart?
The exact cause of Broken Heart Syndrome is unknown, but it is believed to be triggered by sudden emotionally stressful situations – causing a sudden and high hormone surge more than the heart could withstand, resulting in heart muscle dysfunction.
The following risk factors are associated with it.
· Intense fear
· Breakup or divorce
· Public speaking
· Intense joy
· Losing a loved one
· Extreme anger
· Near-death experience
· High fever
· Sudden drop in blood pressure
· Infection or severe pain
Symptoms: How to recognise a ‘broken’ heart
· Chest pain
· Shortness of breath
· Sweating
· Pounding or irregular heartbeats
· Sometimes, presents exactly like a heart attack, with intense chest heaviness and pressure with pain, save for the fact that the arteries are not blocked. It mimics heart attacks, so seek help immediately.
When the heart breaks: Can someone die from it?
The condition is mostly acute and temporary, with most patients recovering within weeks and the heart going back to normal with proper care and treatment, but it may reoccur in some cases. On the other hand, it may prove fatal in a few cases.
A Holistic View of the heart and emotions
The scripture echoes this truth in Proverbs 17:22
: “A happy heart is good medicine and a joyful mind causes healing, But a broken spirit dries up the bones.”
There exists a strong connection between the events that go on in our minds and hearts. This is highlighted by conditions such as this one. The negative emotions that our environment provokes in us can be life-threatening, if not fatal.
This calls to mind the need to be careful with what we do to others or how we treat them because what you say reaches the ears and goes to the mind – seeming light to you, but it might be more than the heart can bear.
Prevention and Encouragement
Seeing how dangerous intense emotions can be – especially negative emotions, let us all be encouraged to:
· Talk about our emotions – don’t bury them inside
· Do not be isolated when grieving – get someone to share your pain with.
· Avoid suppressing spiritual trauma – take it to God in prayer
· Seek Medical, social and spiritual support – we are holistic beings
This is the message, the emphasis of this article.
Don’t live with it alone; speak to someone, tell a friend, visit your doctor – because the heart is more than just a muscle; it carries our joy and our pain. Let us learn to guard it, not just with food and medicine, but with compassion, good news, love and support.
