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A REPORT THAT aired on Monday night on “NBC Nightly News” claims that a broken heart is a medical syndrome that can be as lethal as a heart attack or a stroke.
Most people have watched a relative or friend pass away not long after the death of a loved one, as if their grief became too great a burden to bear.
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine researcher Dr. Ilan Wittstein alleges that sudden emotional stress, such as a breakup, a sudden shock, the death of a loved one or even a car accident can produce physiological changes that mimic those of a heart attack.
Heart attacks are called by blockages in the heart or the vascular tissue around it. This phenomenon, however, called broken heart syndrome, is more accurately described as the heart being stunned.
Women in their 60s and 70s are particularly vulnerable to this type of cardiac event, which occurs when the sudden rush of adrenaline and other stress hormones experienced in shock causes part of the heart muscle to spasm while another section balloons outward, suspending the flow of blood. In about one in three cases, the condition is serious enough to kill without medical attention.
“It can be very serious,” said Wittstein. “People can die from it – no question.”
“Even though the heart is not permanently damaged, the heart is a pump and if that pump is suddenly stunned and can’t pump, than the whole body isn’t getting the blood flow that it needs, so the sickest examples of broken heart syndrome have been critically ill in the intensive (care) unit.”
The syndrome can also “weaken the heart muscle, lower blood pressure, cause fluid in the lungs and even clinical heart failure,” said the Gazette of Montreal.
Ninety percent of the patients studied so far have been women, but anyone under stress is vulnerable. Wittstein said that the best treatment for the disorder is time.
“Time is simply needed for recovery,” he said. “Once patients get through the first couple of days, the heart improves on its own.”
Watch the report, which aired on the NBC Nightly News on Monday, 24 Sep, and is embedded below (go to 13:20)
via tank924/youtube
This story was originally published by The Raw Story.
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It’s amazing the number of cafes, restaurants and pubs that still want people to wear masks when they arrive, leave and walk around. It’s time to get rid of all masks, everywhere, and stop worrying people unnecessarily. Covid is not a problem anymore. Irrational anxiety is.
@Neil Neart: It is amazing to me that you care if others wear a mask or not.
@Neil Neart: The fixation with those wearing masks is what I find irrational. It’s a complete non-issue to the vast majority of people yet there are some who seem upset and even offended if they see other people wearing them.
@Neil Neart: It is still a problem for many. There are still vulnerable people Covid poses a higher risk to. Some of these people may be able to avoid high risk places but not all can. They also have family members who work with the public and who are doing their best to try and avoid infecting them. Wearing masks in public places like shops and on transport is a minor inconvenience for people who are lucky enough to not have this worry and who can go anywhere and do anything with minor risk. It’s a small thing we can all do to try and help people who don’t have that luxury but who still need to use transport or shop. I think it’s pretty sad how selfish some people are when it comes to looking out for other people.
@Sarah Lou: if you read the sentence again, and take your time to read the HSE web site regarding masks, you’ll see that the amazement expressed is at that many hospitality locations require customers to wear masks when there is no obligation in law or in the guidelines to do so. In fact, every time I enter a hospitality premises I ask the staff if they want me to wear a mask and happily do so to keep them feeling safe even though there is no requirement to do so. But seriously, are we going to be a nation of nervous ninnies for ever?
@Neil Neart: Find a bin and get in.
Random comment alert. But is there anyone else feeling completely disillusioned with the whole things at the minute. Working 6 days a week just to get by, while others scam the welfare system. Costs of everything skyrocketing in every area. Irish people finding it next to impossible to buy a house or even afford rent at the minute. Cuckoo funds buying out entire estates to keep them out of reach. A health system that isn’t improving no matter how many billion they throw at it. Crime rates increasing, a courts system that is letting down victims every day with offenders with hundreds of convictions released on bail to offend again. Global warming, A global pandemic, the scourge of social media and trying to keep up with every woke movement that comes along on a weekly basis. Rant over.
@Dave Johnston: This might help. Hang in there. “Talk to Joe” by emailing us at any time joe@rte.ie. Call 0818 715 815 (lines open between 12.30pm – 3.15pm Monday to Friday). Alternatively you can ring us on 01 208 3263 or write to us at the following address: Liveline with Joe Duffy, RTE Radio Centre, Donnybrook, Dublin 4.
@Dave Johnston: I think you need a holiday, you forget anything, how about the man who took your lollipop off you when you were 3?
@Happy: I do need a holiday. Just can’t afford one at the minute. Instead of silly comments about lollipops. How about a constructive debate about the state of affairs.
@Dave Johnston: don’t debate, master bate
@Dave Johnston: we’re y being done out of it a lot more by white collar criminals and life long politicians than by people ‘ scaming the welfare’ ,,, cronyism is rife in this country
@Dave Johnston: that’s called life, and life ain’t fair mate. I agree with what your sating and I’m trying to be empathetic but at the same time it’s life.
Unfortunately!
You’d suspect most folk would continue wearing them anyway in public settings with a lot of mixing.
@Eoin Roche: Why? Because they’re scared of something that’s not a problem anymore for the vast majority of people. It’s time to let everyone get this milder version and benefit from the immune system boost, on top of vaccines. The irrational anxiety has to stop sometime.
@Neil Neart: ah the old ‘let her rip’. Always been great public successful health policy around the World! But no, I was actually thinking more of how used to them people have become and that we’ll probably see a fair sprinkling of them on the likes of public transport and in busy shops in Winter for years to come. If we get back to fully normal this year, and hopefully we shall, it will mean flu and Norovirus and whatever is left of Covid will start circulating as they always did. If I’m on a stuffy sweaty 46A bus with 91 other people, I’ll be happy to use a mask if I have one, just like I’ve seen in Asian cities for decades.
@Eoin Roche: we need some bugs Eoin to give us immunity to help protect us from other bugs. The “Let ‘er rip” strategy with omicron is not the same as it would have been with delta or the others. This nation wide fear mongering has gone beyond its useful life and has to stop or we will have a lot of people ignoring public health advice next time out.
@Eoin Roche: Totally agree.
@Neil Neart: ah Neil evolution you just f… off.
They cannot continue with emergency measures after the emergency has passed. This will give ample fodder to conspiracy theorists and make rational people question the government motives if similar options are needed in the future. It has to move from a mandated rule to an advisory one outside of healthcare settings.
Its pointless having the antigens only for certain cohorts. People are booking PCR tests anyway regardless because they want to get the covid recovery certs for travel etc. You don’t get one if you report an antigen, its all a shambles.
@Carùl O’Hickey: I thought the HSE PCR Test couldn’t be used for travel (have to book a private one) or has that changed?
@John Rowan: You’re right John, they can’t.
@John Rowan:
You still get the QR code if you’ve tested positive
@John Rowan: Sorry I meant people are booking the PCR’s anyway so they can get recovery certs.
Interesting article about masks. Not being an expert I’ve no idea how valid the points raised are. I’m sure many might disagree with the analysis but it’s an interesting read nonetheless and it’s always good to hear different points of view – https://unherd.com/2022/02/were-masks-a-waste-of-time/
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