Did you know that people can actually die from a broken heart? People grieve at the loss of a loved one, and in some cases, this grief even takes their life. This is actually a medically recognized syndrome and it has been a common phenomenon since a long while.
But during the pandemic, number of deaths by “Broken heart syndrome” has increased.
What is the “Broken heart syndrome”, and how is multiplying during the Coronavirus pandemic?
Is a broken heart syndrome even a real thing?
Grief and stress that people feel when their loved one dies – is medically known as cardiomyopathy or Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. A study by Cleveland Clinic has shown that the cases of this syndrome have gone up ever since the pandemic started.
But the Broken heart syndrome in these days is not just caused by losing loved ones, but also due to several stress factors such as psychological, social, and economic problems.
Cases of broken heart syndrome have increased by 450% in the pandemic
Researchers included nearly 2000 people in this study who were suffering from acute coronary syndrome, and these patients had gone through coronary arteriography. This is a process that injects dye into people’s bloodstream to track the flow of blood through arteries.
The study then compared the condition of current patients with the condition of patients from the pre-COVID era.
It was found that the cases of Broken heart syndrome or Cardiomyopathy have increase by 450% ever since the Coronavirus pandemic started.
History of the broken heart syndrome
The first identified case of broken heart syndrome is from 25 years ago in Japan. And now USA reports 6,000-7,000 cases annually – according to a study published in American Journal of Cardiology.
There have also been famous cases of broken heart syndrome, and this has often made its place into pop culture and romantic movies.
One of the incidents is from when famous Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher had died, and then her mother died the next day. It was said that Debbie Reynolds, the mother of Carrie Fisher, died of grief and broken heart. Before dying, she had said, “I want to be with Carrie.”
How is it different from a heart attack?
Also, if you survive a heart attack – your heart will be weak and damaged and you will have a high chance of getting another heart attack.
But in broken heart syndrome, if you survive it then the heart goes back to normal.
Featured Image Courtesy: CBS