Can women die from a broken heart?

[Ianc2]

Researchers at University of Alberta are looking at a condition known as MINOCA (myocardial infarction with non obstructive coronary arteries), a type of heart attack particularly common in women, potentially caused by inflammation of the heart and tiny tears in the artery that cannot be easily detected, leading to doctors to conclude that it was not really a heart attack.

However this can also be caused by the 'broken heart syndrome' otherwise known as stress induced cardiomyopathy, a potentially fatal, stress induced heart condition that occurs mostly in women 'However after one year 5% of patients either had another heart attack or died of a heart attack.' Kevin Bainey cardiologist and professor of medicine at University of Alberta.

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Myocardial infarction Non obstructive coronary artery MINOCA is a type of heart attack very often overlooked

Common causes are Vasospastic angina causing a severe coronary artery spasm. This is the condition I live with and I nearly had a heart attack many years ago.

Luckily someone started the IV GTN to stop the coronary spasm.

Other cause spontaneous coronary artery dissection

ahajournals.org/doi/full/10...

Takostubo or stress induced cardiomyopathy sometimes known as ' broken heart syndrome'

Is not really a heart attack at all.

The shape of the heart is changed to look like an Japanese octopus pot hence the name

Here in the UK Prof Dana Dawson is a BHF researcher into Takostubo Cardiomyopathy.

cardiomyopathy.org/takotsub...

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

[Ianc2 in reply to Milkfairy]

But why mainly women?

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Ianc2]

Interesting question!

Women have smaller hearts, narrower blood vessels.

Hormones are different. Women respond to stress differently

Nobody really knows. Or nobody has done the research?

Medicine including anatomy uses the Male body as the template.

Very few medicines are specifically trialled on women. Too little specific research into women and how heart disease effects them differently.

Too few women researchers

There is a bias throughout medicine and research

theguardian.com/books/2019/...

What is truly shocking is a 50% of women's heart attacks are incorrectly diagnosed and they don't receive the same level as care as men.

The BHF launched their Biology and bias campaign last year to highlight this very important issue

[Qualipop in reply to Milkfairy]

I totally totally agree. After my heart attack I was left alone on a corridor for 5 hours because I didn't have the "obvious" signs of a heart attack; not even given aspirin. MUCH more research is needed .

[MsHopee]

where can find the paper? It sounds exactly like what I had!!!

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to MsHopee]

ahajournals.org/doi/full/10... for MINOCA

See the other links I posted above about Takostubo Cardiomyopathy

[Hidden]

My mother had a heart attack soon after my dad died. She seemed to be a healthy woman until then, married 50 years. Thankfully she lived on another 27 yr until age 97. I probably shouldnt tell you this but the last 30 yr she thrived on candy, Pepsi and coffee!! Never saw the woman drink water.

[Ianc2]

My dear old mum always had a wee dram of whiskey with her breakfast. only the best single malt for her. She lived to be 102.