It is called TakoTsubo Syndrome and it is a type of heart disease always associated with high stress. The symptoms are chest pain, shortness of breath, but what is surprising is that it can be triggered not only by an emotional pain but also by a strong joy. The European Hearth Journal suggests that one out of 20 is caused by a happy event; the good news is that it is a fixable condition and who is then hit back to stay healthy.

The research

This research was conducted in nine countries including Italy and coordinated by Jelena Ghadri, at the University Hospital of Zurich.

Based on the new study, it is thus now possible to talk about syndrome of happy hearts. 1750 patients were analyzed and it was discovered that the syndrome was caused mainly by a birthday party, the marriage of a child, having met a friend after a long time, from becoming grandparents, by the victory of their team, from having won a large sum to the casino. The causes of Takotsubo syndrome can be manifold then not only as a result of a "broken heart". Physicians should be aware of this and also consider that patients arriving in the emergency room with signs of heart attack, such as chest pain and shortness of breath, but after a happy event or emotion, may be suffering from the syndrome as much as Takotsubo a similar patient who presents after a negative emotional event.

Among the people admitted in the emergency room, suffering from the syndrome because of a nice event and most were women with more than 60 years. Probably hormones, estrogen, play a key role since they are present in greater quantities in women.The cause of the syndrome also contribute adversely could be a quarrel between neighbors.

There is still much to be discovered; a certainty for now is: the consumption of antidepressants by increasing the level of adrenaline in the blood can promote the occurrence of disease.

The Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (also known as cardiomyopathy by stress or broken heart syndrome) is characterized by dilation of a chamber of the heart (the left ventricle).

It presents with symptoms similar to those of infarction: chest pain, difficulty breathing, heart rhythm abnormalities. The syndrome is not to be underestimated, however, because it increases the risk of suffering from heart attack.

In short, the happy and the sad hearts hearts can undergo the same type of dysfunction with health risks should not be underestimated. The study is important because it broadens the knowledge on Takotsubo cardiomyopathy and therefore facilitates the diagnosis; also it suggests that very emotionally laden events - whether positive or negative makes no difference - trigger the same springs and probably share common mechanisms which then lead to suffer from cardiomyopathy Takotsubo.