Devastating Signs of Broken Heart Syndrome
Broken heart syndrome can be a temporary and mild illness, and it could also lead to dire and fatal outcomes. Like any condition, it is crucial to identify the signs of broken heart syndrome early before it gets worse.
This guide explores the obvious and not-too-obvious signs of broken heart syndrome. You will also learn about the condition, its diagnosis, and the treatment options.
Before we get into all that, if you’ve been diagnosed with broken heart syndrome, the good news is that it is treatable. With proper care, you should make a full recovery in weeks.
Table of Contents
What is Broken Heart Syndrome?
Broken heart syndrome (BHS) is a heart condition that results from stressful situations and causes muscle weakness. The stress could be physical or emotional. Broken heart syndrome only affects and enlarges a part of the heart that disrupts the pumping function. As a result, this leads to symptoms that may be misconstrued for heart attack.
Broken heart syndrome is also called Stress cardiomyopathy, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, or Apical ballooning syndrome. Whatever name is used, it refers to the same thing. The condition may be triggered by any stressful event, good or bad. For instance, winning a lottery or losing a loved one.
Now, let’s see the signs of broken heart syndrome.
Signs of Broken Heart Syndrome
There are several tell-tale signs of broken heart syndrome, but unfortunately, they resemble that of a heart attack. For this reason, it is best not to self-diagnose and assume you have BHS. Instead, visit your doctor and get a medical check.
The most common symptoms of broken heart syndrome are:
Chest pain: The enlargement of a part of your heart and the disruption of the pumping function will cause chest pain. You may also feel tightness as the heart muscles become lax. Chest pain is not something to ignore, and you should seek help if the pain persists.
Shortness of breath (dyspnea): This is the next obvious sign that you may have broken heart syndrome. Are you struggling to breathe properly? Are you having a feeling of suffocation, air hunger, or intense tightening in the chest? It all points to shortness of breath, and it’s common among broken heart syndrome patients.
Other recognizable signs are:
- Dizziness
- Sweating
- Nausea
- Irregular heartbeat
- Low blood pressure
All these symptoms usually occur suddenly or a few hours after a stressful event. Always check with your doctor to rule out the possibility of a heart attack and get appropriate care if it is broken heart syndrome.
What Causes Broken Heart Syndrome?
Broken heart syndrome usually results from sudden acute stressful events. These events could be physical (an illness) or emotional (losing a loved one). Generally, anything that induces a strong emotional response may lead to broken heart syndrome.
Some examples of physical stressors that could cause BHS are:
- Low blood sugar
- Seizure
- Asthma
- Fever
Emotional stressors:
- Fear
- Anger
- Grief
- Surprise or shock
As you can see, you may not be able to prevent broken heart syndrome because you can’t control all physical and emotional stressors. For example, a broken-up romantic relationship could leave you emotionally battered and lead to BHS. You can do nothing about it because you were emotionally invested in that person.
How is Broken Heart Syndrome Diagnosed?
Your doctor may perform several tests to confirm your broken heart syndrome. These tests must be carried out to rule out a heart attack or any other heart condition with similar symptoms. Some of the tests used for diagnosing broken heart syndrome include:
Physical Examination and Medical History
Your doctor will perform a physical exam and ask about any recent, major stressful events you’ve had. He will also ask about your medical history, prescriptions, and any medications you are taking. This information will help him better understand the condition and diagnose the problem.
Chest X-ray
You may undergo an x-ray to see if a part of your heart is enlarged. Remember, an enlarged heart is one of the signs of broken heart syndrome.
Electrocardiogram
Your doctor will use this procedure (ECG or EKG) to take note of the electrical signal from your heart. Electrodes will be placed on your chest to pick up the signal and translate it as waves on a connected computer monitor. The results will show whether the symptoms are from a heart attack or broken heart syndrome.
Coronary Angiogram
Like the electrocardiogram, this test is done to eliminate the possibility of a heart attack. Your doctor will insert dye into your coronary arteries to see if there are any blockages. If there are blockages, you have a heart attack or broken heart syndrome if there are no blockages.
Echocardiogram
This ultrasound procedure will help your doctor determine whether or not you have broken heart syndrome. This method uses electrodes to identify your heart rhythm and see how blood moves through your heart.
Your health care provider may also perform blood tests as they can show damage and abnormalities in the heart.
How to Heal Broken Heart Syndrome
The good news about broken heart syndrome is that it is treatable. If you’re diagnosed with this condition, your doctor should prescribe some medications and activities, and they may refer you to a cardiologist – a heart specialist.
Your doctor or cardiologist may administer medications for heart muscle weakness to help your heart function at its best. The prescription may include
- Beta-blockers
- Anti-anxiety medication
- ACE inhibitors
Or any medication that helps with broken heart syndrome.
You may also be required to join exercise programs and get active. The cardiac rehabilitation program is helpful for anyone experiencing heart anomalies. And lastly, they will advise you to avoid stressful events as much as possible.
Closing Thoughts
Don’t feel defeated if you or anyone you know is diagnosed with broken heart syndrome. The condition is treatable and does not leave permanent damage to the heart, and you’re better off seeking medical assistance to manage the condition effectively.
Whether or not you’re diagnosed with this heart condition, take steps to manage emotional stress to help prevent broken heart syndrome. You should get enough sleep, maintain a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and connect with loved ones. If you feel good, your heart will too.
Originally posted 2022-07-14 21:36:49.
Megan Santiago
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