Doctors confirm that emotional pain can directly harm physical health.
If you've ever felt physical pain after losing a loved one and talked about a "broken heart," you've described a real diagnosis. Doctors refer to this condition as takotsubo cardiomyopathy. It's an acute but mostly temporary disorder of the heart muscle that affects the function of the left ventricle. Although the name sounds daunting, the heart usually recovers completely within a few weeks, reports TA3.
The condition is mainly triggered by extreme emotional or physical stress. Typical triggers include:
- the death of a loved one or a sudden breakup,
- intense fear and anxiety,
- major surgery, injury, or serious illness.
- Interestingly, even shockingly positive emotions can occasionally cause this phenomenon.
How does the body react?
When someone experiences intense stress, their body releases a massive amount of stress hormones—catecholamines. These substances temporarily disrupt the function of the left ventricle. Calcium floods the cells and causes excessive muscle contraction.
In practice, the tip of the left ventricle balloons out, while its upper part remains contracted. Fortunately, some receptors at the heart's tip switch into a protective mode, making the dysfunction mostly temporary. The broken heart syndrome closely mimics a heart attack outwardly. Patients feel:
- sharp chest pain,
- shortness of breath and heart palpitations,
- feelings of faintness.
According to expert statistics, takotsubo accounts for about 1 to 2 percent of all cases initially suspected as a heart attack.
Who is at risk?
This syndrome most commonly affects women aged 50 to 70. Menopause and the associated drop in estrogen levels play a key role here. Estrogens naturally protect the heart and dampen its sensitivity to stress hormones. Men experience this condition less frequently.
"Takotsubo reminds us that the heart isn't just a mechanical pump, but also an organ that feels," explains expert Hudecová. She emphasizes that chest pain should never be ignored but also offers hope: "Not every 'broken heart' stays broken forever."
Prevention is mainly about maintaining a healthy lifestyle and effectively managing stress so it doesn’t accumulate in the body over time.
