confused hearts are not just a cheap cliché used to write tonic songs , there is actually some skill behind this much - romanticized phenomenon . And it ’s not limited to humans either . Doctors in Texas have write a case report about a 61 - year - old woman who stomach from “ get around - heart syndrome ” follow the death of her dog . Ahem , is someone cutting Allium cepa in here ?
As explain inThe New England Journal of Medicine , the grief - stricken woman was rushed to the hand brake room after a sudden onset of chest pain and high blood force per unit area . At first , it looked like she might be having a heart attack . However , a coronary angiography hug drug - beam of light revealed that her coronary arteries were in good shape . The doctors then observe up with an echocardiography , which expose the distinctive signal of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy , better recognise as broken - heart syndrome .
Takotsubo cardiomyopathyoccurs when your heart muscle becomes suddenly undermine . The word “ Takotsubo ” imply “ octopus trap ” in Japanese , as the left ventricle of the pith change into the contour of a bulging great deal with a narrow neck opening , much like the pots traditionally used to fascinate octopus .
In the vast majority of cases , it ’s ordinarily trigger by emotional stress . The precise cause of this foreign condition is not yet known but it ’s believe to be associated with a rush of hormones , such as epinephrine , stunning the heart brawn and have changes to the heart muscularity cell or coronary blood vas .
As the Doctor of the Church note in the fount report , Takotsubo cardiomyopathy “ typically occurs in postmenopausal women and may be preceded by a stressful or emotional result . ” This woman describe multiple stresses lam up to her trip to the hospital , but what tipped her over the edge was the death of her much - loved Yorkshire terrier .
“ I was close to inconsolable , ” she toldThe Washington Post . “ I really took it really , really punishing . ”
What becomes of the broken hearted ? Well , most people manage to make a fairly speedy recovery . In this woman ’s case , she was treated with angiotensin - convert enzyme ( ACE ) inhibitors to assist relax blood vessels and beta - blocker to ease her emotional stress . At a check - up appointment one year after her condition came to light , she appeared to have made a full recovery .
“ It is heartbreaking . It is traumatic . It is all of the above , ” she say , describing the exit of her faithful acquaintance . “ But you know what ? [ Dogs ] give so much love and companionship that I ’ll do it again . I will continue to have pets . That ’s not going to stop me . ”
