What Is Broken Heart Syndrome? New Study Finds Long-Lasting Damage in Victims

By Shannon Azares, Christian Post Contributor Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Popularly known as the broken heart syndrome, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy has been found to deal long-lasting damage to those who suffer from it. Although the medical community thinks that people recover from the syndrome, the results of the research indicate that some patients do not make a full recovery.

The broken heart syndrome happens when someone is going through severe stress or emotional distress, usually following the death of a loved one or other events that can cause hurt or put someone in emotional pain. According sources, the broken heart syndrome has the following symptoms: chest pain, breathlessness, and sudden collapse. It is akin to the symptoms of a heart attack in which the organ goes through a temporary failure.

Up until the new research funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), it was a common thought that people can recover from it. Unfortunately, this may not be the case.

"Here we've shown that this disease has much longer lasting damaging effects on the hearts of those who suffer from it," said lead researcher Dr. Dana Dawson in a statement. The damage takes the form of scarring around the organ, which may or may not be treated by the available medical technology today.

Data was gathered from 52 cases collected by the researchers at the University of Aberdeen. The conclusion was drawn from figures that showed that 3 percent to 17 percent of people who suffer from the broken heart syndrome died five years after the diagnosis. 90 percent of the victims were females and a stressful trigger was identified in 70 percent of the cases.

Considering the risks of the broken heart syndrome, the healthcare community is advised to find ways to provide lasting treatment for the unforeseen damage. In addition, friends and family members are reminded to constantly offer support to someone going through extreme emotional distress.