How a broken heart ‘is as deadly as a heart attack’, scientists reveal
The unbearable grief of losing a loved one is often described as “heartbreak.”
But Scottish scientists have discovered that people are just as likely to die from a broken heart as those who have a ‘real’ heart attack.
Researchers from the University of Aberdeen say takotsubo cardiomyopathy – ‘broken heart syndrome’ – affects around 70 people in Scotland every year.
The condition, which can be caused by extreme emotional stress, causes the left ventricle of the heart to enlarge, affecting its ability to pump blood.
Professor Dana Dawson, from the University of Aberdeen’s Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research, said: ‘Takotsubo cardiomyopathy occurs in response to distressing events such as the death of a family member, the end of a relationship or illness, when distress signals come from the air. come. brain to the heart.
According to researchers from the University of Aberdeen, ‘broken heart syndrome’ affects around 70 people in Scotland every year
‘But there is evidence that it may be caused by other factors, including physical trauma or no incident at all. It can develop at any age and typically affects more women than men. The symptoms can resemble a heart attack, including shortness of breath and chest pain.”
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, found that drugs commonly prescribed to heart attack patients, such as statins, do not improve survival rates.
Researchers analyzed Public Health Scotland data from 3,720 Scots, including 620 with takotsubo, between 2010 and 2017. They found that 153 people with the condition died during the five-year follow-up – higher than the death rate in the general population.
However, the condition is usually temporary and many people recover completely.
Professor Dawson said: ‘Our data clearly shows that we are not treating this condition correctly.
‘These patients have a higher mortality compared to the general population, a greater vulnerability to developing heart disease and are as likely to die from it as people who have a heart attack.
‘It is vital that we find ways to treat this unique group of people, and that is what we plan to do as we continue our research.’