Broken Heart Syndrome Is Real

According to a new study, broken hearts are on the rise. In March and April of 2020, 7.8% of patients presenting with symptoms of a heart attack had the condition - known as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

Takotsubo is known to affect people after the death of a child or spouse. People also experience stress-induced cardiomyopathy after surgery, public speaking, a death threat, and claustrophobia in an MRI machine. The research suggests the stress of the global crisis is pushing people's hearts over the edge.

• Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is characterized by a sudden physical or psychological stressor that could release a surge of hormones that stuns specific heart muscles, preventing them from properly pumping blood. The left ventricle balloons out, and people experience chest pain, difficulty breathing, and even heart failure.
• Doctors may mistake this condition for a heart attack or inflammation of the lungs. When people show these symptoms, doctors must eliminate other conditions first. Real confirmation of Takotsubo will likely come from an angiogram.
• 90% of people survive an episode of stress-induced cardiomyopathy, but consequences may remain. While most patients' hearts may return to their normal shape in a few days, others can take three or more months to heal. Some people may require defibrillators.