There broken heart syndrome, according to some recent research, has experienced a surge in its diagnosis among adult women. The finding of heart distress is 10 times higher in middle-aged women than in younger women. Not only that, studies have also shown that rare disease has become more common and the incidence has been steadily increasing since long before the pandemic of COVID-19.
The searches have been published in the scientific journal Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA).
Broken heart syndrome: the causes that led to an increase in diagnoses
“Although the global COVID-19 pandemic has posed many challenges and stressors for women, our research suggests that increasing Takotsubo’s diagnosis (broken heart syndrome) was on the rise long before the pandemic“, he has declared Susan Cheng, MD, MPH, MMSc, director of‘Institute for Research on Healthy Aging in the Cardiology Department of the Smidt Heart Institute and senior author of the study. “This study further validates the vital role that the heart-brain connection plays in overall health, particularly for women ”.
Cheng and his research team used the National hospital data collected from over 135,000 women and men diagnosed with broken heart or Takotsubo syndrome between 2006 and 2017. While confirming that women are diagnosed more frequently than men, the findings also revealed that diagnoses increased at least six to 10 times faster for women aged 50 to 74 than for any other demographic.
Of the 135,463 documented cases of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, the annual incidence increased steadily in both genders, with women contributing the majority of cases (83.3%), particularly those over the age of 50. The researchers observed a significantly greater increase in incidence among middle-aged women and older women, compared to younger womenthe. For each additional diagnosis of Takotsubo in younger women, or in men of all ages, 10 additional cases were diagnosed for middle-aged women and six additional diagnoses for older women.
Prior to this study, researchers only knew that women are more prone than men to develop broken heart syndrome. This latest study is the first to question whether there are age-based sex differences and whether case rates may change over time.
As explained by Cheng, who is also a professor of cardiology and a chair Erika J. Glazer in Women’s Cardiovascular Health and Population Science, the way the brain and nervous system respond to different types of stressors is something that changes with the age of women.
“There is probably a tipping point, just beyond middle age, where an excessive response to stress it can impact the heart“, Cheng said:”Women in this situation are particularly affected and the risk seems to increase ”.
The researchers are therefore studying the long-term implications of a diagnosis of Takotsubo, i molecular markers risk factors and the factors that could contribute to the increase in case rates. The Smidt Heart Institute has played a leading role in identifying female-type heart disease, developing new diagnostic tools, and advancing specialist care for women.
Although medical professionals understand that the connection between stress and heart disease risk is of paramount importance, there is still a lot to understand about it.
“This particular study helps clarify that women of a certain age group are at a disproportionately higher risk for stress cardiomyopathy and that the risk is increasing.“, he has declared Christine M. Albert, MD, MPH, chair of the Department of Cardiology at the Smidt Institute “The recovery could be due to changes in the environment. More research is needed to understand the underlying factors of the disease in Takotsubo syndrome and other diseases found more often dominated in women ”.
Broken heart syndrome: what is it?
Broken heart syndrome is one temporary heart disease often caused by stressful situations and extreme emotions. The syndrome can also be triggered by severe physical illness or surgery. It may also be called stress cardiomyopathy, takotsubo cardiomyopathy, or apical swelling syndrome.
People with broken heart syndrome may have sudden chest pain or think they are having a heart attack. Broken heart syndrome affects only part of the heart, temporarily disrupting the normal pumping function of the heart muscle. The rest of the heart continues to function normally or may even have stronger contractions.
Symptoms of broken heart syndrome are treatable, and the disease usually remits within days to weeks. Common symptoms include: chest pain And shortness of breath.
The exact cause of broken heart syndrome is unclear. A surge of stress hormones, such as adrenaline, is thought to temporarily damage some people’s hearts. How these hormones could affect the heart or whether it is something else is not completely clear today.
A temporary constriction of the large or small arteries of the heart has been suspected to play a role in the disease. People who have broken heart syndrome may also have a difference in the structure of the heart muscle. Broken heart syndrome is often preceded by an intense physical or emotional event. Some potential triggers of broken heart syndrome are:
The death of a loved one;
A severe medical diagnosis;
Domestic abuse;
Loss of job or financial hardship;
Divorce;
Physical stressors, such as an asthma attack, COVID-19 infection, bone fracture, or surgery important.
It is also possible that some medications, rarely, can cause broken heart syndrome by causing a surge of stress hormones. Drugs that can contribute to broken heart syndrome include:
Epinephrine (EpiPen, EpiPen Jr.), which is used to treat severe allergic reactions or a severe asthma attack;
Duloxetine (Cymbalta), a drug given to treat nerve problems in people with diabetes or as a treatment for depression;
Venlafaxine (Effexor XR), a treatment for depression;
Levothyroxine (Synthroid, Levoxyl), a drug given to people whose thyroid glands are not functioning properly;
Unprescribed or illegal stimulants, such as methamphetamines and cocaine.
Broken heart syndrome differs from a heart attack in that the latter is usually caused by a complete or nearly complete blockage of a heart artery. This blockage is due to a blood clot that forms at the site of narrowing due to the accumulation of fat (atherosclerosis) in the artery wall. In broken heart syndrome, the arteries of the heart are not blocked, although blood flow in the arteries of the heart may be reduced.
There are a number of known risk factors for broken heart syndrome, including:
Sex. The condition affects women much more often than men;
Age. It seems that most people with broken heart syndrome are over the age of 50;
A history of a neurological disorder. People who have neurological disorders, such as a head injury or a seizure disorder (epilepsy) have a higher risk of developing the syndrome;
A previous or current psychiatric disorder. If an individual has had ailments, such as anxiety or depression, they likely have a higher risk of getting the syndrome.
In rare cases, broken heart syndrome is fatal. However, most people with broken heart syndrome recover quickly and have no long-term effects.
Other complications of broken heart syndrome include: fluid backup in the lungs (pulmonary edema); low blood pressure (hypotension); disturbances in your heartbeat or Heart failure.
Broken heart syndrome sometimes recurs, although most people won’t experience a second event. Many doctors recommend long-term treatment with beta blockers or similar drugs that block the potentially harmful effects of stress hormones on the heart. Recognizing and managing stress as a lifestyle can also help prevent broken heart syndrome, although there is currently no evidence to prove this.
In any case, if you feel compression and pain in the chest and difficulty in breathing, it is better not to underestimate these signals or to reduce them to a bit of stress but it is important to call the emergency room first and then face all the medical examinations. necessary.