Broken Heart Syndrome - LPNI
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Broken Heart Syndrome
LPNI Health Topic—March 2022
There have been news articles of people developing Broken Heart Syndrome during the COVID-19 pandemic, social unrest, and financial uncertainty during this difficult time. It is also called Stress-induced Cardiomyopathy, Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy, or Apical Ballooning Syndrome. The word “Takotsubo” refers to octopus traps that resemble the pot-like shape of the stricken heart.
Symptoms can mimic a heart attack—sudden, intense chest pain and shortness of breath—due to a surge of stress hormones like adrenaline that can be caused by extreme emotional or physical stress. Stressful events can include the death of a loved one, a frightening medical diagnosis, major surgery, domestic abuse, divorce, strong arguments, public speaking, and even winning the lottery. Stress hormones cause a constriction of arteries in the heart and enlargement of heart muscle. Irregular heart rhythms or cardiogenic shock may occur if a suddenly weakened heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. The symptoms of Broken Heart Syndrome are treatable and the condition usually reverses itself in days or weeks.
It is important to seek medical help immediately to diagnosis if you think a heart attack is occurring. Blood tests, electrocardiogram, echocardiography, and possibly a cardiac angiogram will be able to help doctors differentiate Broken Heart Syndrome from a heart attack. Heart attacks are generally caused by a complete or near complete blockage of a heart artery. In Broken Heart Syndrome, heart arteries are not blocked, although blood flow in the arteries of the heart may be reduced. Complications of Broken Heart Syndrome may include Pulmonary Edema (backup of fluid in the lungs), low blood pressure, disruptions in the heartbeat, and heart failure.
Call your health care provider or emergency medical services for treatment of chest pain, shortness of breath, or life-threatening symptoms.
Information taken from the John Hopkins Medicine and Mayo Clinic websites.
Darlene Rueter, RN
LCMS Iowa District West - Parish Nurse Representative
Parish Nurse, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Carroll, Iowa USA
drrueter@gmail.com