Health

SheltieLover

(63,433 posts) Mon Feb 17, 2025, 08:36 PM Feb 17

She suspected a heart attack, but was diagnosed with broken heart syndrome

https://www.npr.org/2025/02/17/nx-s1-5292139/health-stress-cardiomyopathy-heart-attack

Snip

She was diagnosed with stress cardiomyopathy, also known as broken heart syndrome. You may think of a broken heart as a metaphorical idea, but this is a real condition that can bring on a sudden and dramatic weakening of the heart muscle after a stressful event.

She's kind of a classic case," says Dr. Joy Gelbman, a cardiologist at New York-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine, who treated Carraballo once she was back in New York. Typically, people make a full recovery, and are often prescribed medications, such as beta-blockers, temporarily.

It's almost like the heart is overworked
Broken heart syndrome, which is also known as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, can be tricky to diagnose. Some of the tests performed in the emergency room can produce the same results as someone having a heart attack. For instance, there may be changes in an electrocardiogram, or EKG, similar to a heart attack.

Broken heart syndrome can cause an increase in a cardiac enzyme called troponin, in the blood, that is also elevated by a heart attack. "And the echocardiogram — which creates images of the heart — typically shows a characteristic ballooning of the heart muscle," Gelbman explains.

More at link.

Pls do not let weirdo, beardo, & creepy affect your health.

10 replies

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Highlight:

She suspected a heart attack, but was diagnosed with broken heart syndrome (Original Post) SheltieLover Feb 17 OP

I've experienced it twice in my life. no_hypocrisy Feb 17 #1

Oh, it's real all right. SheltieLover Feb 17 #2

My friend's daughter was pregnant and lost the baby no_hypocrisy Feb 17 #3

Gawd how horrible SheltieLover Feb 17 #4

Timely reminder. I tell myself it's my duty to be as positive as I can be right now. 58Sunliner Feb 18 #5

Try to not get upset about things you are powerless to change SheltieLover Feb 18 #6

Thank you, that sounds interesting! 58Sunliner Feb 18 #7

Try it! SheltieLover Feb 18 #8

I was just looking at an article in my email today about the same thing. 58Sunliner Feb 18 #9

Sounds as if life is urging you to give it a try SheltieLover Feb 18 #10

no_hypocrisy

(50,409 posts)

1. I've experienced it twice in my life.

Reply to SheltieLover (Original post)

Mon Feb 17, 2025, 08:55 PM

Feb 17

And I've never been so scared, so panicked, unable to function.

It's real.

SheltieLover

(63,433 posts)

2. Oh, it's real all right.

Reply to no_hypocrisy (Reply #1)

Mon Feb 17, 2025, 09:01 PM

Feb 17

Article discusses how it shows up on objective medical tests.

So sorry to hear you've experienced this.

no_hypocrisy

(50,409 posts)

3. My friend's daughter was pregnant and lost the baby

Reply to SheltieLover (Reply #2)

Mon Feb 17, 2025, 09:10 PM

Feb 17

in the morning and had to be induced in the afternoon. He and his wife immediately went to the hospital. But he couldn't go into the room because his daughter was cradling the baby. He knew that if he went in, then he might die himself. His daughter never forgave him because she felt that he wasn't giving her support. I believe he had broken heart syndrome. He never got over it.