Broken heart syndrome, also known as Takotsuba cardiomyopathy, is a rare condition that causes heart attack-like symptoms, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or fatigue that can occur during periods of severe emotional stress, such as a separation process. or after the death of a family member, for example.
Most of the time this syndrome occurs in women from the age of 50 or in the postmenopausal period, however, it can occur in people of any age, also affecting men. People who have had head injuries or have a psychiatric disorder are more likely to have broken heart syndrome.
- Broken heart syndrome is generally considered a psychological illness.
- However.
- Tests on people with the disease show that the left ventricle.
- Which is part of the heart.
- Does not pump blood properly.
- Which impairs the functioning of this organ.
- However.
- This syndrome can be cured with the use of medications that help regulate heart activity.
A person with broken heart syndrome may have some symptoms, including:
These symptoms usually appear after a high stress situation and may go away without treatment. However, if your chest pain is very severe or the person has difficulty breathing, it is recommended to go to the emergency room for tests, such as an electrocardiogram and blood test, to evaluate the functioning of the heart.
Treatment of broken heart syndrome should be guided by an emergency doctor or cardiologist, depending on the severity of the symptoms present by the person, and consists mainly of the use of beta blockers, which are used to normalize the functioning of the heart, diuretics. remedies, to help remove accumulated water due to the inability to pump the heart.
In some cases, hospitalization may be necessary to follow medication treatment in the heart vein to prevent acute myocardial infarction. After recovery, follow-up with a psychologist may be indicated for therapy to overcome trauma and emotional stress. Discover other ways to overcome stress.
Possible causes of broken heart syndrome include
These situations cause an increase in the production of stress hormones, such as cortisol, and can cause an exaggerated contraction of some heart vessels, causing heart damage. In addition, although this is rare, there are certain medications, such as duloxetine or venlafaxine, that can cause broken heart syndrome.