Joyful emotions can also harm the heart
Not only negative psychological stress, but also extremely joyful emotions can lead to a dangerous dysfunction of the heart. This has been discovered by two researchers at the University of Zurich.
Strong emotions can trigger a functional disorder of the heart, which manifests itself in a similar way to a heart attack. This rare disorder is called Takotsubo syndrome or "broken heart syndrome," and it affects mainly post-menopausal women. The fact that terrible experiences, such as the loss of a beloved partner, can lead to acute and dangerous heart failure has been known for some time.
An analysis of the world's largest Takotsubo Registry at the University of Zurich has now revealed that about four percent of emotional triggers are not due to negative events, but to great moments of happiness. These include: The reunion of family members, a big money win, the wedding celebration of one's own children.
The Swiss Heart Foundation honors the two researchers Dr. Jelena R. Ghadri and PD Dr. Dr. Christian Templin of the University Heart Center Zurich for their work in the field with the annual research award. The award ceremony will take place at Chaplin's World Museum in Corsier-sur-Vevey.
Close connection between heart and brain
Takotsubo syndrome is not a purely cardiological problem. About half of those affected, in whom emotional triggers play a role, have a neurological or psychiatric concomitant disease. Apparently, a disturbance in stress processing in the brain leads to overstimulation of the sympathetic nervous system. The mechanisms are still largely unknown. "The importance of the heart-brain axis is becoming clearer," Ghadri says. "What role strong emotions play in the development of heart disease now needs further investigation."
Threatening and still little explored
It is also not yet clear how emotional stress affects heart function. A microcirculatory disorder is suspected, i.e. spasms in the smallest vessels of the heart. In contrast to myocardial infarction, no narrowing of the large coronary vessels is found in patients with Takotsubo syndrome. In contrast, the left ventricle becomes balloon-shaped, causing the heart's pumping function to fail. "Takotsubo syndrome is still underdiagnosed," Templin says, "yet it's almost as life-threatening as an acute myocardial infarction." Now the researchers are looking for a suitable therapy so that the heart function recovers as quickly as possible and no complications occur.
The original publications appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine and the European Heart Journal, and available online.
(Swiss Heart Foundation)
