Diagnosing Broken Heart Syndrome
There’s no way to know at home whether symptoms are related to anxiety or a heart attack, so seeing a doctor is important. If you’re experiencing chest pain or shortness of breath, call 911. Cardiologists can perform specific tests to determine what’s wrong and provide appropriate care.
Common diagnostic tests to rule out a heart attack and confirm broken heart syndrome include:
- Cardiac enzyme studies: To show if heart muscle was destroyed
- Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG): To look for time elevations or depressions at the end of the ventricles’ contractions (lower heart chambers) and evaluate the time of the recovery period
- Coronary angiogram: To check if there’s a restriction or blockage in blood flow, using X-ray imaging to view the heart's blood vessels
- Physical exam: To check for low blood pressure, high heart rate, or a new mitral regurgitation murmur
Treating Broken Heart Syndrome
Typically, our team will prescribe the same kinds of medications for broken heart syndrome as we would for a patient who has had a heart attack – mainly ACE inhibitors, or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. Beta blockers may also be used.
More severe cases may require blood thinners (if there are clots in the heart), or the treatment of abnormal heart rhythms. A small percentage of people develop shock and may require special medications to increase the pumping function of the heart, or mechanical pumps to support the heart.
We also help the patient work through any situations that may be causing stress. Most of the time, this combination of medication and removing stress helps the patient’s heart function return to normal, and many patients recover without any lasting damage.
Support Services
UT Southwestern’s cardiac rehabilitation specialists create customized plans that integrate proper nutrition, exercise, and, if necessary, nicotine cessation into patients’ lifestyles to improve their cardiovascular health.