Broken Heart Syndrome Essay

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Is it really possible to die of a broken heart? When people hear about broken heart, they typically think that you have broken up with a boyfriend/girlfriend, and believe that the phrase “broken heart” is just that, a phrase. Those thoughts are incorrect because a broken heart is a real thing. Many people haven’t heard of “Broken Heart Syndrome” or “Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy.” What is broken heart syndrome? It is a syndrome that occurs when there is a sudden heart failure that occurs about an emotional trauma. This syndrome was first recognized by Japanese doctors in the 1990’s. The reason it got its name is because of the shape of the heart muscle is when it occurs, the shape resembles a Japanese octopus trap, which is called “Takotsubo.” …show more content…

When a heart attack occurs, the heart muscle is being deprived from oxygen due to a blocked blood vessel, which causes the heart muscle to stop moving entirely. When broken heart syndrome occurs, there is a surge of hormones that impairs the heart muscle to be able to pump correctly. Due to the heart muscle not being able to pump correctly, the blood flow is blocked by a long-lasting spasm of the artery, causing the heart muscle to balloon out. This can be life threating (Can You Die 6). Although this condition is pretty rare, it mostly effects post- menopausal and middle aged women. It is not known as to why it mostly affects women, but it is believed to be because of the changes in a women’s hormone levels (Besser). Although they are uncertain of how it occurs, they think that the surge of adrenaline of grief disrupts the heart muscle cells. Not only is this syndrome often mistaken for a heart attack, it can kill a person if not treated correctly. Dealing with extreme emotional distress can physically change the way that the heart can pump, causing it to no longer be able to pump normally …show more content…

Without knowing the difference, there could be a higher risk to the patients’ health and recovery. Even though broken heart syndrome is not as severe as a heart attack doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be taken seriously. There is a lot more information out in the world regarding heart attacks and what it does to your body. Unfortunately, that is not the case for broken heart syndrome. Since this syndrome is pretty rare, doctors and researchers have not be able to get very much information from it because it has to occur for them to know what is going on. To answer the question, “Can you really die of a broken heart?” The answer is yes. It is possible to die from a broken heart. It’s not the typical broken heart that you hear about when a couple breaks up, this is a real medical condition that affects the heart muscle from being able to pump normally and correctly. The death rate from this syndrome is not very high since it is rare but there is still a chance of

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