The ‘broken heart syndrome’ is a temporary heart condition brought upon by an extremely stressful or strongly emotional experience, like the loss of a loved one.
Officially termed takotsubo cardiomyopathy, the syndrome occurs almost exclusively in women, as per Harvard Health. Its main symptoms are chest pain, shortness of breath, vomiting sensations and weakness or fatigue. Broken heart syndrome was first identified in Japan in 1990 and is often confused for a heart attack.
Due to limited research, we still don’t quite know what exactly causes the condition. But scientists have now identified two molecules in the blood of takotsubo patients that are associated with depression, anxiety and increased stress levels.
The research team then analysed the impact of exposing these cells to cells from human and rat hearts. It was found that heart cells of both turned more sensitive to adrenaline after exposure.
Writing in the journal Cardiovascular Research, lead study author Dr Liam Couch from Imperial College London says their findings seem to link long-term stress with the dramatic takotsubo response to a sudden shock.
Experts say that the research throws light on an often ignored and poorly understood condition. Although, more research is needed to determine if medication blocking these two molecules might be helpful in preventing broken heart syndrome.
The findings do, however, have the potential to help us determine who may be more susceptible to takotsubo so that the condition’s impact can be managed better.