Women and heartbreak
Posted Nov 17, 2011 11:01:07 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A U-S study suggests a woman’s heart breaks more easily than a man’s.
The study finds females are more likely to suffer “broken heart syndrome,” when sudden or prolonged stress causes heart attack-like symptoms.
It happens when a surge of adrenaline and other stress hormones cause the heart’s main pumping chamber to balloon and malfunction.
Usually patients recover with no lasting damage after a few weeks, but in rare cases, it can be fatal.
No one knows why it’s more common in women, but hormonal differences may play a role.
The study was discussed yesterday at an American Heart Association conference in Florida.
Add CityNews Ottawa as a trusted source on Google to see more local stories from us.
