Older women 10 times more prone to broken heart syndrome than younger people: Study

A new study suggests that middle-aged and older women are at least 10 times more likely to be diagnosed with broken heart syndrome in comparison to younger women or men of any age group. The researchers noted that the once-rare condition has become prevalent and has been slowly increasing well before the COVID-19 pandemic. The study, published in the journal of the American Heart Association, revealed that the painful feeling now comes with a serious diagnosis. The findings show how the heart and brain interact when anxiety or stress is present. After the heart muscles weaken, the broken heart condition, also known as Takotsubo syndrome, can cause chest pains and shortness of breath, similar to a heart attack, the findings noted.

The appearance of the walls of the heart's major pumping chamber, the left ventricle, is a telltale sign of the diagnosis. The left ventricle changes shape when the condition is prevalent, creating a narrow neck and a spherical bottom, similar to an octopus pot called takotsubo used by fishermen in Japan, where the condition was first detected in 1990, according to the study. Dr Susan Cheng, a researcher at Smidt Heart Institute, and the lead author of the study stated that broken heart syndrome is triggered by stress and can lead to long-term cardiac injury and impaired heart function. She went on to say that it usually happens after a traumatic emotional or physical incident, such as a breakup, a car accident, or even a surprise birthday party. The findings suggested that both men and women have reported increased rates of broken heart syndrome in recent years, with women aged 50 to 74 years experiencing the highest increase. 

'Broken heart syndrome has no conventional treatment'

In the United States, 135,463 cases of broken heart syndrome were reported between 2006 and 2017. Approximately 88.3 per cent of these occurrences involved elderly women, according to the study. Meanwhile, experts from Harvard and Mayo Clinic, claimed that the condition is rarely fatal, but in some cases, it can lead to consequences such as heart failure. According to Dr Abhijeet Dhoble of Memorial Hermann claimed that there are no conventional treatment standards. He stated that medications are used to keep blood pressures in a healthy range and doctors can also prescribe blood thinners and lipid-lowering drugs. He further went on to say that the majority of patients recover in 3 to 7 days, according to the study. 

(Image: ANI/Representative)