The death of a spouse is one of the most tragic events in a person’s life, often causing an enormous amount of stress andaffecting even the health of the surviving partner.
Other extremely traumatic events, new research finds out, can literally break the heart of an individual.
The research, done at the University Clinic of Rostock in Germany, studied how heart-breaking experiences affect the heart conditions of subjects.
Distressed patients’ hearts force the body to pour out adrenaline and other stress hormones. This narrows the coronary arteries and disrupts normal blood circulation.
As a result, the rest of the body gets less oxygen and people tend to suffer breathlessness, pain and even the loss of consciousness.
The research team said it came across similar heart-related cases, adding that women, especially those who are post-menopausal, are most sensitive to stress hormones, although the specific cause remains unknown.
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