Broken heart syndrome can kill you

When it was announced recently that SABC radio producer Suna Venter had died from broken heart syndrome, the country sat up and listened.

Not only was this a relatively new medical condition to the ears of many but, for most people, the concept of dying from heartache is inconceivable.

Suddenly, the broken heart syndrome was on everyone's lips, and most people started wondering what they should guard against to ensure that they or their loved ones do not meet the same fate.

In this high-pressured world, with stress from our jobs, relationships and society, is this syndrome a silent killer we should be wary of?

Pretoria-based cardiologist Dr Martin Mpe says that in everyday language, to be heartbroken refers to suffering from or exhibiting overwhelming sorrow, grief or disappointment.

But, in the medical world, being severely heartbroken may have more dire ramifications.

"The connection between emotion and cardiac death has long been documented in medical literature, and there have been many reports of seemingly healthy people who have dropped and even died during a natural disaster or traumatic event."

To date, broken heart syndrome continues to fascinate physicians and remains an unsolved medical mystery.

"Broken heart syndrome is a temporary heart condition that is often brought on by stressful situations.

"The condition may also be referred to as takotsubo cardiomyopathy, apical ballooning syndrome or stress cardiomyopathy," says Mpe.

Although the full mechanisms of this specific type of acute heart failure are still not fully understood by doctors, Mpe says evidence points to a strong brain-heart interplay.

"Scientists believe that within a few hours of an extreme emotional or physical trauma, stress hormones cause transient 'stunning' of the left ventricle, which is the main heart chamber that pumps blood out to the rest of the body.

"As a result, the heart becomes temporarily 'frozen' and cannot pump enough blood forward.

"This causes poor circulation and even shock, or in extreme cases, death," he says.

"Therefore, with broken heart syndrome, there's a temporary disruption of your heart's normal pumping function in one area of the heart.

"The remainder of the heart functions normally or with even more forceful contractions," Mpe says.

"The exact cause of broken heart syndrome is unclear.

"It is thought that a surge of hormones, such as adrenaline, might temporarily damage the hearts of some people.

"A temporary constriction of the large or small arteries of the heart has been suspected to play a role.

"Broken heart syndrome is often preceded by an intense physical or emotional event.

"In rare cases, broken heart syndrome is fatal.

"However, most people who experience it quickly recover and do not have long-lasting effects," Mpe says.

How is it different to a heart attack?

Most people wonder about the difference between a heart attack and broken heart syndrome.

Dr Mpe explains: "Heart attacks are generally caused by a complete or near complete blockage of a heart artery.

"This blockage is due to a blood clot forming at the site of narrowing from the fatty build-up [atherosclerosis] in the wall of the artery."

In broken heart syndrome, the heart arteries are not blocked, although blood flow in the arteries of the heart may be reduced.

"Because broken heart syndrome often mimics the signs and symptoms of a heart attack, a coronary angiogram may be done quickly to rule out a heart attack.

"People with broken heart syndrome often do not have any blockages in the blood vessels, while people who have had a heart attack usually have a blockage that is visible on an angiogram."