Tag: stress cardiomyopathy

In 2000, only 2 studies published on this mystery heart attack; 10 years later: 300+

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 4 Comments
L:  X-ray of the heart during a contraction in a Takotsubo patient.   R:  Ceramic Japanese Takotsubo pot

by Carolyn Thomas    ♥   @HeartSisters   

Last week, we explored the love affair between researcher Dr. Sian Harding (a leading authority in cardiac science) and the tiny heart muscle cells called cardiomyocytes  that she first met over 40 years ago through the lens of her lab microscope.  Yes, a love affair! – as she writes in her wonderful book, The Exquisite Machine: The New Science of the Heart  published by MIT Press last year, in which she explains simply:

“Once upon a time, I fell in love  – with a cell.”

This week, we’re exploring another chapter of her book, which has the curious title, “Can You (Not) Die of a Broken Heart?”  This chapter looks at a cardiac syndrome that Dr. Harding believes is actually far more widespread than our cardiologists first believed. And for me personally, it’s particularly intriguing during this particular week.        .     Continue reading “In 2000, only 2 studies published on this mystery heart attack; 10 years later: 300+” →

Yes, Virginia, there is such a thing as a broken heart

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 7 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas  ♥ @HeartSisters

After the first attack of severe chest pain, the 61-year old woman spent the night in the hospital’s Emergency Department hooked up to a heart monitor, felt better after a few hours, and was discharged in the morning.  Even though she had no cardiac risk factors, her blood tests showed that her cardiac enzymes were somewhat elevated, she described a “too-much-adrenaline” feeling, and she had also failed a cardiac treadmill stress test because of heart rate arrythmias.  No positive diagnosis was made at the time, although a condition called myocarditis was suggested.

Then nine uneventful years later, a second attack occurred, this one during a very traumatic period in her life, in hospital for a colon resection operation due to cancer. She describes it like this:   Continue reading “Yes, Virginia, there is such a thing as a broken heart” →