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Repaired heart shaped red stethoscope

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A study has been published in the Journal of the American Heart Association suggesting that there is a link between cancer and a condition deemed “broken heart syndrome.”

“Broken heart syndrome,” also called stress cardiomyopathy, is a temporary condition that can be brought on by stress. During broken heart syndrome, one part of the heart stops pumping normally, which may cause the rest of the heart to pump more forcefully.

According to the study, 1 in 6 people studied out of a total 1,600 with broken heart syndrome had cancer, and these patients, in particular, were more likely to die within five years, compared to broken heart syndrome patients who didn’t have cancer. Of those with cancer, nearly 90 percent were women. The most consistent type of cancer was breast, followed by the gastrointestinal system, respiratory tract, internal sex organs, skin, and other areas.

The 2018 study relied on data from the International Takotsubo Registry and found a link between cancer and broken heart syndrome but does not show that one causes the other. However, study authors said that’s an area they feel needs to be researched thoroughly.

The study’s lead author, Dr. Christian Templin, director of Interventional Cardiology at The University Hospital Zurich in Switzerland said, “Our study … should raise awareness among oncologists and hematologists that broken heart syndrome should be considered in patients undergoing cancer diagnosis or treatment who experience chest pain, shortness of breath or abnormalities on their electrocardiogram.”

Broken Heart Syndrome was first identified in Japan back in 1990 when physicians noticed people with heart attack symptoms didn’t have any of the signature blood clots that cause heart attacks. Stressors such as financial loss, heartbreak, or a natural disaster causes physical damage to the heart. Cardiomyopathy ensues because the heart’s main pumping chamber temporarily enlarges and doesn’t pump well.

Broken Heart Syndrome can feel similar to a heart attack, with chest pain and shortness of breath, but there is no heart muscle damage and no blockage in the coronary arteries feeding the heart.

Protect your heart ladies!!

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Source: ione / iOne

Source: Complex