Takotsubo syndrome – also known as broken-heart syndrome, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, and stress-induced cardiomyopathy – is an acute cardiac disease first described in Japan in 1991.
Broken heart syndrome is a temporary condition that affects the heart. In people with this condition, extreme emotional or physical stress (i.e. intense grief, anger, surprise, illness or surgery) can lead to heart muscle failure.
Signs and symptoms of the condition mimic those of a heart attack and may include sudden chest pain, shortness of breath, and an irregular heartbeat.
The cause of broken heart syndrome is not completely understood. Some researchers believe that it may occur when certain hormones released during times of stress temporarily affect the heart's ability to pump blood throughout the body.
Treatment is available to manage the symptoms of the condition. Fortunately, most affected people have a full and quick recovery with no permanent damage to the heart muscle.
When do symptoms of broken heart syndrome begin?
Symptoms of this disease may start to appear at any time in life. Knowing when symptoms began to appear can help medical providers make the correct diagnosis.
Symptoms
The number and severity of symptoms experienced may differ among people with this disease. Consult your primary care provider for more information.
Chest pain. An unpleasant sensation characterized by physical discomfort (such as pricking, throbbing, or aching) localized to the chest.
Hypertension. The presence of chronic increased pressure in the systemic arterial system.
Low blood pressure.
Vomiting.
Palpitations. A sensation that the heart is pounding or racing, which is a non-specific sign but may be a manifestation of arrhythmia.
Angina pectoris. This is when you feel sudden chest pain, usually when you’re active or stressed. This happens because the heart isn't getting enough blood flow at those times.
Bradycardia. A slower-than-normal heart rate (in adults, slower than 60 beats per minute).
Dilatation of the ventricular cavity. A localized outpouching of the ventricular cavity is generally associated with dyskinesia and paradoxical expansion during systole. This means the heart's main pumping chamber gets bigger. A specific bulging area of this chamber often doesn't move correctly and even expands in the opposite direction when the heart beats.
Dyspnea. Difficult or labored breathing is a subjective feeling only the patient can rate.
Low-output congestive heart failure. A form of heart failure characterized by reduced cardiac output. This may be seen in patients with heart failure owing to ischemic heart disease, hypertension, cardiomyopathy and other causes.
If you have symptoms, such as chest pain, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room (ER). There you’ll likely be asked about your health history, including recent symptoms. The health care provider may also run tests such as:
X-ray
Blood tests (to check for heart damage)
Basic blood work (to rule out anemia, infection and other possible causes of the symptoms)
Cardiac echocardiogram
Cardiac MRI
Coronary angiography or cardiac catheterization (to see there is a blood clot in the coronary arteries)
ECG or EKG
Source: NIH: nih.gov
