Tako-Tsubo Cardiomyopathy, What Is It?
Broken heart syndrome, surprisingly enough, does exist. It is a disease that has been described recently and whose medical name is Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy.
It is a cardiac pathology that occurs temporarily. What happens is that the functioning of the heart is altered, so that symptoms very similar to an acute myocardial infarction occur, although it does not have the same consequences.
Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy is usually caused by a very stressful situation. Although it can happen to anyone, it is more common in women between the ages of 50 and 70, for example, when a loved one dies.
Although its name sounds dramatic or poetic, this syndrome is real and people who suffer from it have practically the same sensation as in a heart attack. Therefore, in this article we explain everything you need to know about Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy and how to distinguish it from other heart diseases.
What is Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy?
The broken heart syndrome consists in that a person suffers a cardiac alteration when facing a situation that supposes a very intense stress, normally. A part of the heart is temporarily altered and is unable to pump blood normally.
The symptoms that occur are very similar to those of a heart attack. However, in broken heart syndrome, the rest of the heart functions normally. The part that is affected is usually the left ventricle, which takes on a vessel shape.
Another difference with acute myocardial infarction is that, in this syndrome, the coronary arteries are not affected. They are the arteries that are responsible for providing oxygenated blood to the heart. In addition, this pathology is not usually complicated and has a very low mortality.
It is important to note that, in addition to a stressful situation, such as the death of someone you love, this disease can be caused by surgery or as a consequence of another underlying disease.
What symptoms occur?
As with heart attack, sudden chest pain is typical for broken heart syndrome. This is what usually alarms people the most and makes them think they are having a heart attack, which makes their stress or nervous situation even worse.
There is also usually some shortness of breath and the person may lose consciousness. Cases have even been documented in which cardiac arrest has occurred.
The curious thing is that, in the electrocardiogram, the recording of the waves of the heart is very similar to that of the infarction. This, added to the fact that the symptoms are very similar, often leads to a confusion in the diagnosis.
In order to differentiate it, it is necessary to look at the situation of that person . The key is usually at the time of the episode. If you’ve been under great stress, this is critical.
In addition, those who experience Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy do not usually have the typical risk factors for heart attack. Those who suffer heart attacks often have hypertension, cholesterol problems, a history of smoking, and so on.
Broken heart syndrome usually has no sequelae. However, it is relatively common for the episode to repeat itself. Therefore, it is important to help this person, both physically and psychologically.
Can Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy have complications?
As we have already mentioned, it is a temporary pathology. It does not usually leave sequelae and, in fact, mortality is very low. Most people who have it recover quickly.
However, as in any disease, there can be complications. For example, some studies such as the one published in 2018 in the Revista Española de Cardiología relate this syndrome to subsequent heart failure. It has also been seen that it can cause the heart to beat irregularly.
In very serious cases, in which there is a lot of damage to the left ventricle, a subsequent sudden death can occur. However, this happens very rarely and exceptionally.
In summary, it is important to know that Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy, although similar to infarction, is a different entity. Either way, in the event of any symptoms, it is essential to urgently see a doctor.
