Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy Or Broken Heart: Stress That Hurts
Who has never heard the phrase: “he (or she) broke my heart”? Who has never felt identified with those songs that talk about breaking the soul and breaking the heart into a thousand pieces? Well, it turns out that this is not just a way of putting it: there really is a broken heart syndrome, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.
It is a heart disease that occurs when a person experiences severe emotional and physical stress. It can appear in completely healthy people who do not have any other illnesses.
The heart stops pumping blood in one of its parts, which is somehow paralyzed. This causes a heart disorder, even though the rest of the heart is still working properly.
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: important factors
Although, as in all pathologies, this can also occur in other circumstances, it is considered that there are a series of assumptions that can condition the occurrence of broken heart:
- There are many more cases in women than in men. Therefore, women would be a population at risk for this pathology.
- It has been observed that once the 50-year hurdle is crossed, people are more likely to suffer from this syndrome.
- People with neurological disorders are at greater risk.
- People diagnosed with an anxiety disorder would also be at higher risk.
Nevertheless, it is possible to present a heartbroken picture without the presence of any of the above circumstances.
Symptoms of a broken heart
According to several scientific studies, the symptoms that accompany Takotsubo cardiomyopathy are quite similar to those of a heart attack. Some of these symptoms are:
- Difficulty breathing.
- Chest pain.
- Hypotension.
- Murmurs and arrhythmias.
It is very important that, in the face of any type of symptom, you look for a medical center to assist you.
It is necessary to be very careful with this, as if this situation is not treated properly, it could lead to the patient’s death; therefore, it is very important to use professionals to assess what is happening.
Why does this disease occur?
We cannot say that there is a valid origin for all cases. However, as indicated above, any type of intense stress situation, both emotional and physical, can compromise the cardiovascular system.
Some of the most common triggers are:
- Death of a loved one.
- Violent discussions.
- Traffic accident.
- Violence.
- Stress at work.
- Bad news.
- Asthma.
- Epilepsy attack.
Treatment of Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy
According to several studies, it cannot be said that there is a specific treatment for Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. So what is done in many cases is to use medications originally intended for intervention to treat anxiety disorders.
For this reason, in certain cases, certain physical and mental exercises, such as therapy or meditation, are recommended so that the body remains in balance and recovers.
The Lovers of Teruel: A Case of Broken Heart
There are many legends throughout history that have shown us that certain people died of love because they could not bear the impossibility of a happy ending. A good example of this is the legend of the lovers of Teruel.
It is said that this story actually happened, or at least paralleled the legend. Several historical studies support the existence of Isabel de Segura and Diego de Marcilla.
Although the story says that Diego died of love for Isabel, from a medical point of view this could only be justified by the broken heart syndrome; no one dies of love, but death can happen as a result of a strong emotional impact.
However, this happened a long time ago, in the 13th century. Today, as we said above, this is considered a treatable condition. Over time, the person can recover and return to normalcy.
