broken heart syndrome

[saghar2]

How high depression and stress must be for broken heart syndrome to occur.For example، every disease has a limit to whether or not a person is affected or not.

[Fanfab1]

extremely interesting question to which I suspect there is no one answer as we are all different (including our hearts) and experience stress/anxiety/depression differently and to different extents.

People can feel depression to the point they don’t want to go on but they don’t always develop / experience a heart condition?

The extent of depression is diagnosed by completion of a questionnaire (in my experience) and severity determined based on score (as well as discussion of course).

But heart - that’s mostly a physiological based diagnosis?

But I know very little about broken heart syndrome - but was intrigued by the question.

👍

[saghar2 in reply to Fanfab1]

I totally agree with you، but Look، I think it has to be a measure of how much stress causes the prisoners of the world war to die and suffer from this syndrome، and more importantly، how much stress can cause death anyway.

Or even how much grief and depression can cause death.

[Fanfab1 in reply to saghar2]

I don’t know enough to comment any further really, you’ve had some more expert responses so hope they help.

[Ennasti]

It’s not a measure of how stressed someone is or how some people deal with stress. It’s affected by many things.

Takotsubo tends to affect women around menopause age more than at other time which indicates a hormonal link, people with other health issues such as high blood pressure and asthma, and those prone to strong neurological and physical reactions to stress are also more likely to develop it.

[Silvertail]

I don't think you can measure the stress that would cause Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Depends on the person. My first two were caused by extreme emotional stress - Having to get my daughter away from a DV situation. The next two came after physical stress - both times I tripped and I fell on my face on concrete and later, in the evening, the chest pains started. I suppose, in a way I could say they were emotional stress because it is a horrible feeling when falling. Thinking back, I have had similar episodes when I would get chest pain having to speak, etc in public.- Always resolved quickly. (BTW It wasn't hormonal with me - I was well past menopause😄)

[Danceawaytheblues]

I was well past my menopause when I had my first attack of Takotsubo, it was after my husband had been seriously ill and in ICU for months. The second happened while I was spring cleaning, busy doing too much. I learned a hard lesson the second time. No pain for me, I just collapsed. In hospital for 4 days and sent home with advice and medication. 2 years (almost to the day) and it`s going well.🤞

[fishonabike]

by Broken Heart Syndrome i guess you mean Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy or Stress Related Cardiomyopathyfirst it is important to know that Takotsubo can be triggered by physical stress/pressure as well and emotional/psychological stress - in many cases there is no identifiable trigger

as Silvertail said, you cannot predict how much stress it takes to trigger an episode and no-one knows exactly how to trigger an episode - if they did they could prevent it!

also it varies hugely from one person to another - if there was a specific level of stress which could trigger an episode it would be happening to more people more of the time

i am a member of a Takotsubo Support Group on Facebook, the group offers peer support from others with the condition - it is a private group and well moderated to provide a safe space - you might find it helpful to join and learn from the experience of others

Cardiomyopathy UK also have a phone helpline staffed with specialist nurses, they also have occasional live online support sessions (the lates was a couple of weeks ago)

[saghar2 in reply to fishonabike]

I totally agree with you but، Look، I think it has to be a measure of how much stress causes the prisoners of the world war to die and suffer from this syndrome، and more importantly، how much stress can cause death anyway.

Or even how much grief and depression can cause death.

[fishonabike in reply to saghar2]

i don't quite understand what you are getting at there

Takotsubo can be caused by a single stressful incident, but recent thinking suggests that there also needs to be other underlying factors which "prepare the ground", like a chronic health condition (diagnosed or undiagnosed) hormonal imbalance, genetic predisposition or others

if a certain level of stress could always trigger an episode then Takotsubo would be more common

by the way i was not aware that war prisoners have been shown to have died of Takotsubo, i'd be interested to know what your source is for this information

you may find it helpful to read this very recent paper - it's a bit technical but the summaries at the beginning and end are more accessible: jmcc-online.com/article/S00... - An Update on the Mechanisms of Takotsubo Syndrome , Crea et al, 2024

[Blearyeyed]

From my reading the Stress that is suffered is usually the biggest factor and it is usually something that has happened rapidly and with little warning.You are more at risk if you are older or already have other health problems , either chronic illnesses or long term mental health issues that may have already caused the person to be weaker than usual or had caused some cardiac changes that the person felt no symptoms of but anyone can suffer from it.

Trauma of a physical or mental type can bring it on , because it causes the body to have an extreme response to what has caused it Extreme Stress.

So loss of a loved one, an accident or illness or being involved in an extreme event like an avalanche , earthquake or a war could cause it to happen because it is a form of crisis induced cardiomyopathy.

On the other hand , some people have had issues during joyful occasions too , like at a wedding of a loved one, immediately after the birth of a child, after taking part in a big , strenuous sport event whether they win or lose, tears of joy causing rapid physical stress similar to tears of loss.

There could never be a specific level of depression, which is a type of Mental Stress, or other Stress triggers that someone could say would definitely bring on Broken Heart Syndrome or Death for a particular gender , age , ethnic or lifestyle group because everyone is individual and have different physical and mental capacity , both genetic and learnt, to deal with Trauma.

And , interestingly, in some cases, some people whom are generally unwell and suffer stress or mental health issues everyday , or may be on medications for those conditions may be less at risk than someone whom appears happy, strong , needs no medication, and has led a low stress lifestyle whom may be less prepared to cope with the effects when a trauma occurs.

No one could predict the chance of suffering from BHS with any certainty.

Take care and try to keep calm and share positive times with those around you as much as you , Bee