Latest news with #TakotsuboCardiomyopathy
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Happy Heart Syndrome: When extreme joy breaks your heart
We all know the phrase 'died of a broken heart' — it's that poetic-sounding (but very real) heart condition triggered by deep sadness or grief. But here's something wild: did you know your heart can also get too happy and totally freak out? Yes. Turns out, your heart doesn't always know the difference between good shock and bad shock. Welcome to the bizarre, fascinating world of Happy Heart Syndrome — a legit medical condition where overwhelming joy can literally break your heart. No joke. Wait, you can have a heart attack from happiness? Basically, yes. Happy Heart Syndrome is the lesser-known cousin of what doctors call Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy, or 'broken heart syndrome.' You might've heard about that — where intense emotional pain (like losing someone you love) temporarily stuns your heart and mimics a heart attack. Your heart even changes shape, ballooning out weirdly on scans — kind of like a Japanese octopus trap (that's actually where 'Takotsubo' gets its name). But here's the plot twist: the same thing can happen when you're too happy, excited, or surprised. Think surprise birthday parties, winning a lottery, seeing someone after decades, or even scoring your dream job. It's your body's version of 'Wait, what just happened?!' A unique case A unique case of happy heart syndrome was published in JACC journal where an individual developed conditions after a birthday celebration. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Type 2? Nutritionists recommend this tea daily High glucose try this Learn More Undo "A 48-year-old female with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, history of stage III gastric cancer with no history of cardiac diseases presented with acute chest pain, headache, and nausea. Cardiac assessments showed elevated troponin-hs-TnT (786, trending to 853), BNP of 977, and EKG findings resembling a lateral wall STEMI. Coronary angiography revealed mild non-obstructive two-vessel disease. Subsequent left ventriculography indicated mid-anterior and mid-inferior wall akinesia with an EF of 35%, consistent with TTS. Guidelinedirected therapy led to rapid recovery and two days later, follow-up EF via transthoracic Echo was 60%," the report says. "Our report highlights a rare cause of cardiomyopathy after a birthday celebration, emphasizing HHS. While TTS is traditionally linked to negative stressors, positive events can also trigger it, leading to HHS." What's going on inside? So here's what's happening: your body gets flooded with adrenaline, the famous 'fight or flight' hormone. It doesn't care if the trigger is a bear charging at you or your friends throwing you a surprise wedding proposal. Adrenaline kicks in anyway. And when there's too much of it, your heart gets overwhelmed, and the muscle (especially in the left ventricle) stops working properly for a while. The result? Chest pain. Breathlessness. Panic. It feels just like a heart attack. And unless doctors do tests to spot the telltale 'takotsubo' heart shape, they might even treat it like one. Good news: it's usually reversible. But that doesn't make it any less terrifying in the moment. How common is this? Not super common, but also not unheard of. Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy in general makes up about 1–2% of cases that look like heart attacks. Of those, only a small number are triggered by 'happy' events — but the number is likely underreported, since most people (and even some doctors) don't realize joy can be a trigger. So who's most likely to get it? Happy heart syndrome is a rare type of TTS characterized by a higher prevalence of male patients and atypical, nonapical ballooning compared with patients with negative emotional stressors, says a study published in July 2022 in the journal JACC: Heart Failure. If you've got a history of anxiety, depression, or even just a really sensitive emotional response system, your heart might be more reactive. Your brain-to-heart connection is just extra intense. And if you've already got a weak heart or underlying cardiovascular issues, a sudden emotional jolt — even a good one — could trigger a response. Can you prevent a happy heart meltdown? Look, you don't want to not be happy. Life's meant to be celebrated! But if you know you're someone who gets overwhelmed easily, or if your heart's been through the wringer already, just be mindful. Here's what you can do: Stress-proof your system. Deep breathing, meditation, or even regular walks can help keep your adrenaline responses in check. Know your heart health. Get regular checkups, especially if you're a woman over 50 or have mental health issues like anxiety. Don't ignore symptoms. Even if you just got the best news of your life, if your chest tightens or you can't catch your breath, go to the ER. Let the pros sort it out. Why your heart reacts to both joy and grief It's kind of poetic, right? The same organ that symbolizes love and feeling can get too emotional. From an evolutionary standpoint, your body is wired to respond to extremes — it's a survival thing. But in today's world, that adrenaline rush comes from a text message or a phone call, not a charging tiger. And our poor hearts? Still acting like we're fighting for our lives. When that emotional surge becomes too strong, your heart muscles panic, twist, and balloon out. It's like your heart short-circuits from feeling too much. So... should you be worried? Not really. Unless you have pre-existing risk factors, the odds of Happy Heart Syndrome hitting you are low. But knowing it exists is important — especially if you or someone you love experiences strange symptoms after a major high. More importantly, this whole thing is a reminder that emotional health is physical health. You can't separate your mind from your body. They're tangled up in every heartbeat. Just keep listening to your body. And remember — whether it's grief or giddy excitement — emotions are powerful. They move us. They change us. And sometimes, they knock the wind right out of our hearts. So next time something amazing happens, smile wide, breathe deeply, and maybe sit down before you scream with joy. Your heart will thank you. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Health Line
16-05-2025
- Health
- Health Line
Males Two Times as Likely to Die From ‘Broken Heart Syndrome,' Study Finds
'Broken heart syndrome' carries a significant risk of death and serious complications, according to new research. Although the condition appears to be much more common in females, males may be significantly more likely to die from it. 'Broken heart syndrome' is commonly associated with other major complications, including heart failure, atrial fibrillation, stroke, and cardiogenic shock. Men may be more than twice as likely as women to die from takotsubo cardiomyopathy, colloquially known as 'broken heart syndrome,' a new study suggests. Although takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) seems to predominantly affect females, accounting for approximately 80% of cases in the study, males who develop the condition appear to have worse outcomes. The reasons for these sex-based differences in TC, which is a relatively uncommon diagnosis, remain unclear. Researchers also observed that over the five-year period of investigation, mortality rates associated with TC did not improve, despite advancements in care. 'We were surprised to find that the death rate from Takotsubo cardiomyopathy was relatively high without significant changes over the five-year study, and the rate of in-hospital complications also was elevated,' said study author Mohammad Reza Movahed, MD, PhD, an interventional cardiologist and clinical professor of medicine at the University of Arizona's Sarver Heart Center in Tucson, Arizona, in a press release. 'The continued high death rate is alarming, suggesting that more research be done for better treatment and finding new therapeutic approaches to this condition,' Movahed continued. TC is a temporary heart condition that can be caused by a surge in stress hormones, often linked to intense emotional or physical experiences, such as the loss of a loved one or a car accident. This leads to the weakening and enlargement of part of the heart, which restricts its ability to pump blood effectively. Research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association on May 14 sheds new light on the prevalence of this cardiovascular condition, but many questions remain unanswered. 'It's definitely hypothesis generating,' said Abha Khandelwal, MD, a cardiologist and associate professor of medicine at Stanford Medicine who was not affiliated with the study. However, she continued, 'We still have a lot to learn about which patients are really going to present with the malignant form of this condition.' A 'woman's disease' much more likely to kill men Researchers used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS), a public database of de-identified hospitalization data, to identify cases of TC between 2016 and 2020. The study identified nearly 200,000 cases during this period, with women comprising the vast majority (83%) of patients—a finding consistent with existing data about the condition. The average age of patients admitted with TC was 67. Demographic patterns emerged in the data, as 80% of cases were diagnosed in white patients, suggesting potential racial differences in prevalence or diagnosis rates. Although men made up a much smaller portion of those admitted for TC, they had more than double the likelihood of dying, 11.2% compared to 5.5% for women. The study could not determine the reasons for this mortality gap, as the retrospective observational design limits researchers to identifying associations rather than establishing causation. However, Khandelwal suggests that the stereotype of TC being a 'woman's disease' may play a role in the worse outcomes seen in men. 'When a disease presents the way we expect it to, people do fine, but it's really the outliers that tend to have worse outcomes. In the old days, coronary artery disease was considered a man's disease. So, when women came into the hospital with heart attacks, they had worse outcomes. So, this is like a reverse of that,' she said. Other cardiovascular comorbidities are common among patients presenting with TC, as observed in the study. The most frequently reported cardiovascular complications included: congestive heart failure (36% of cases) atrial fibrillation (21%) cardiogenic shock (7%) stroke (5%) The overall mortality rate among patients with TC was significantly higher (6.58%) than other patients (2.41%), making them nearly three times more likely to die. TC is generally transient, however. Most individuals recover within two months, with a low risk of it recurring. Still, the study's design and the presence of multiple serious comorbidities make it difficult to draw firm conclusions about the persistently elevated mortality rate in TC, according to Khandelwal. 'It doesn't tell you about the clinical characteristics of the people with the patients were critically ill, and there may be other comorbidities that were influencing their mortality. So, it's very hard to know what drove it,' she said. In fact, the authors themselves even acknowledge that the prevalence of TC observed during the study could be attributable to greater awareness of the condition among doctors who might have otherwise recorded it as some other form of acute coronary syndrome. What causes a 'broken heart'? Much remains unknown about TC, including its precise cause, but it has earned the nickname 'broken heart syndrome' for good reason. The condition can be triggered by sudden loss, emotional trauma, or even an acute scare. Khandelwal has seen the condition multiple times in her career, including a case in which a grandmother developed TC after being startled by her young grandchild. Each year, TC accounts for approximately 2–3% of patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome, and that rate doubles to 5–6% among females. But the actual rates of TC are unclear, as it may be underdiagnosed. TC is generally indistinguishable from a heart attack at the time of presentation. Common symptoms include: To diagnose TC, physicians must first rule out coronary artery blockages — typically using an angiogram — and then use additional imaging, such as an echocardiogram, to detect abnormalities in the heart's left ventricle. While often triggered by emotional distress like grief following the loss of a loved one, takotsubo cardiomyopathy can also develop after physical traumas such as car accidents or major surgery — earning it the additional designation ' stress-induced cardiomyopathy.' Researchers have yet to fully understand its underlying mechanisms. Notably, TC sometimes occurs without any identifiable trigger, further complicating efforts to pinpoint its precise causes. The most prominent hypothesis today is that during an acute shock, the heart is flooded with catecholamines, a cluster of stress hormones including norepinephrine and epinephrine, that stun the left ventricle of the heart. The uncommon nature of the condition along with its unpredictability make it difficult to prevent. 'We still can't predict who is going to get it, and under what circumstances. Is there a stress threshold? We really don't know. And of those who get it, we also don't know which ones are going to get a more malignant form,' said Khandelwal.
