Even people who are critically ill with this condition tend to recover. The good news is that this condition can improve very quickly if patients are under the care of doctors familiar with the syndrome. Potentially life-threatening heart rhythm abnormalities.In some cases, it can cause severe heart muscle weakness resulting in: It appears that adrenaline’s effects on the heart during broken heart syndrome are temporary and completely reversible - the heart typically recovers fully within days or weeks.īroken heart syndrome can be life threatening. This large intake of calcium can prevent the heart cells from beating properly.
Excess adrenaline can cause narrowing of the small arteries that supply the heart with blood, causing a temporary decrease in blood flow to the heart.Īlternatively, the adrenaline may bind to the heart cells directly, causing large amounts of calcium to enter the cells. The heart muscle can be overwhelmed by a massive amount of adrenaline that is suddenly produced in response to stress. When you experience a stressful event, your body produces hormones and proteins such as adrenaline and noradrenaline that are meant to help cope with the stress. How does sudden stress lead to heart muscle weakness? These symptoms may begin as soon as minutes or as long as hours after an emotionally or physically stressful event. The symptoms of broken heart syndrome can mimic symptoms of a heart attack, including: What are the symptoms of broken heart syndrome?
Broken heart syndrome, also known as stress cardiomyopathy or takotsubo syndrome, occurs when a person experiences sudden acute stress that can rapidly weaken the heart muscle.