Sudden, acute mental or physical stress can lead to a temporary weakening of the heart muscles, known as the ‘Broken heart syndrome’.
The medical name for it is Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM). Though more commonly diagnosed in women, recent research reveals that more men in India are at a significantly higher risk of dying from the condition.
Dr Anupama V Hegde, senior consultant at the Department of Cardiology, Ramaiah Institute of Cardiac Sciences, Ramaiah Memorial Hospital, Bengaluru, said that the symptoms closely mimic that of a heart attack- chest pain, shortness of breath, and irregular heart rhythms.
The difference between the two is that in Broken Heart Syndrome, these symptoms are not brought on by blocked arteries.
The word ‘Takotsubo’ comes from the Japanese word for octopus trap which resembles a ballooned left ventricle. This is a condition in which the tip of the left ventricle which is the heart’s main pumping chamber, bulges or expands when the heart contracts.
While recognition of this syndrome is growing across cardiology units, particularly in urban hospital settings, the most striking finding is that male patients face far more severe consequences when diagnosed with it.
A recent large-scale global study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association cites that although 83% of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy cases were diagnosed in women, the in-hospital mortality rate for men was 11.2%, compared to just 5.5% for women.
Thus, the risk of men dying of it is more than double that for women.
The higher fatality rate in men can be caused by underdiagnosis as it is typically seen as a ‘women’s condition’. Men are also likely to experience it following physical stress like infections or surgeries, which are linked to worse outcomes. In women, oestrogen is also likely to provide some protection, thus reducing the severity of the condition.
In India, hospitalisation due to TCM has shown a steady rise over the last five years, particularly in those in the 46-60 years age group. This, Hedge said, could be because of better awareness and diagnostic tools, but it also reflected the increasing emotional and physical stress in modern Indian life.
A key takeaway from this is that diet and exercise are not the only necessities for cardiac health. Emotional well-being is just as important, especially for those undergoing physical stress or emotional trauma.
