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Subscribe to RSSThe loss of a loved one can literally turn heartache into heartbreak, a new study shows.
Researchers found the risk of a heart attack jumped to 21 times higher than normal in the day following the death of a close relative or friend, according to the study published in the journal Circulation.
And that spike occurred even in people at low risk of heart attack, said the study’s lead author, Elizabeth Mostofsky, a post-doctoral research fellow at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Harvard School of Public Health.
“That’s why this study sends such an important message,” Mostofsky said. “If you see someone dealing with grief you need to recognize if they’re having symptoms of a heart attack. You need to realize that they might not just be dealing with grief, but might need medical attention.”
Between 1989 and 1994, the researchers interviewed 1,985 adult heart attack survivors while the patients were still in the hospital. Their average age was just under 62 and they were followed until 2007. Men seemed to be more affected than women, she added.
"Men have a higher risk than women when they lose a spouse," she explained.
Mostofsky and her colleagues found that the most dangerous time was within the first 24 hours after the death of a close friend or relative, with the risk of heart attack spiking 21 times higher than normal. The risk slowly fell off with time, but was still elevated to six times normal in the week following the death.
While the chance of a heart attack among the bereaved was higher for those with risk factors, it was still significant for those at low risk. And that’s why people need to be aware of the danger, Mostofsky said.
Unfortunately, it’s easy to misinterpret heart attack symptoms such as tightness in the chest, stomach pain, light-headedness, nausea and shortness of breath, as signs of grieving, she added. But someone who is grieving and experiencing these symptoms requires medical attention.
Scientists aren’t sure exactly how intense grief leads to heart attack, but there are some theories.
“People are dealing with depression, anger and anxiety,” Mostofsky said. “That can lead to increases in heart rate and blood pressure. It can also lead to a coagulation response in which the blood is more likely to become sticky and clot and that can lead to a blockage and then a heart attack.”
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I can see how this could easily happen. The sudden loss of a loved one is heartbreaking.
They used to call it "dying of a broken heart."
or "where did she put my pills?" Old doctor joke. Couldnt help it. ;(
File this under, No Brainers.
Exactly.
They're not even looking at the fact that people don't generally eat or drink properly (or at all) while grieving. Dehydration thickens the blood for one thing and I'm sure that doesn't help it the stress causes you to start throwing clots.
i don't think thats the case
"thickening" and "thinning" the blood are terms for making it more likely to coagulate vs less likely, mostly by affecting clotting factors. It has nothing to do with the actual viscosity of the blood
Eric: I'm not sure what you mean but rest assured those at risk of a heart attack should take aspirin for one reason and one reason only, to thin the blood. We may be in agreement but I don't know for sure
well, it seems that crying was saying that dehydration "thickens" the blood--this implies that she thinks blood thickness is related to an actual increase in the viscosity of the blood fluid
Thats not the case. For example, aspirin does nothing to blood viscosity. It irreversibly inhibits platlets, rendering them unable (or much less inclined) to form clots.
Thats what is colloquially known as "thinning" the blood. It has nothing to do with making the blood flow smoother, or actually "thinner"
Eric: Fact is dehydration does greatly increase risk for heart attack! Nobody cares about your technical breakdown bs. your just trying to be Mr. I know everything. Its lame.
hey
analalial,Calm down! Dehydration doesn't lead to heart attacks but stress certainly can!
Relax, its only an internet board...don't let it get to you
Alial,
The details are what's important. The only thing that's "lame" is ignorance.
As if no-one already knew this. Waste of time study, go study something or actually listen to your elders. No-brainer.
Does this mean? dont attend the funeral?
I can personally tell you this is true. The morning after my sister died, I ended up phoning an ambulance for myself. My heart literally hurt and I couldn't breath.
After losing 5 family members over the course of a few years, I can say the loss of a spouse was the most difficult, as others here may know. It's not just dealing with the death but also having to look after the business affairs after the fact.
In my case it was the week following my spouse's death that I began sorting through the clothing, personal items and such for charitable donation as well as contacting all of the necessary entities to cancel such things as: driver's licence, medical cards, etc.
It was difficult to: concentrate, sleep, eat properly (if at all some days) and focusing on any one task could seem almost impossible at times. The slightest off-putting thing could bring forth a spate of crying.
For those of you presently dealing with grief, it does get better. Just let time take you through it at your own pace. I wish you comfort and peace.
Thank you Another 1 for your words. I can totally relate as I had just finished dealing with my brother's affairs as trustee of his estate when my sister was diagnosed with cancer and just 6 months later she passed away and I was her executrix. It's been a tough stretch for me and I still spontaneously burst out in tears.
Hi Debbie-3...
You're welcome. Take care of yourself. I ended up going to speak with a grief counselor after taking stress leave from work (thanks to a wonderful extended health benefit program through my employer.) My manager was amazingly supportive and I gave her a hand-written thankyou expressing my gratitude for her concern.
The grief counselor really did help with providing me the freedom to pour out all of the sadness and he even called back to ask how I was doing once the weekly sessions were completed and a few weeks had passed. I'll keep you in my thoughts. Peace to you.
My father died recently and I started crying at our company (I am VP) Christmas party (no I was not drunk). It was very embarrasing. After I gathered myself someone tried to consul me which made me cry again. I just left without saying goodbye and I was happy the party was on a Friday so that I did not have to face my co-workers the next day.
Hi GoSteelers,
Sorry for your loss. What happened to you (breaking down in tears at the workplace) happened to me as well. I was performing my usual duties, nothing particularly stressful, when an utter sadness and uncontrolable need to cry just overtook me and I went into the washroom and just let it out.
The grief needs to come when it needs to come, we can't always control it. It also happened while I was driving on a couple of occasions. I believe that attempting to suppress those emotions is more unhealthy than letting them go, so you (or anyone else experiencing this) should not be embarrassed, but I know what you mean. One step at a time is all we can do. Take care.
Well, 4 years ago, 1/25/2008.. I lost my wife of 25 years , and the hurt was almost unbearable... This study doesn't surprise me, as there were times I thought I was having a heart attack. God Bless anyone, that loses someone close to them. I know for me, losing my spouse, was the hardest thing I've ever dealt with in my life.
Hi Stephen,
See my post above yours (in response to Debbie) and I wish you peace as well.
My spouse passed away a couple of years before your wife and still a day hasn't gone by that I haven't thought about it. The circumstances were rather sudden, thus unexpected, which caused a lot of the 'what ifs' kind of thinking. The grief counseling sessions were a great help for sorting out my thoughts and I had never been to any kind of counselor in my life. Best wishes to you.
This is probably something that humns have "known" for generations, hence the "he/she dies of a broken heart."
Oops! Obviously, I meant humans.
I lost three relatives within a couple of years, the hardest being my brother who died unexpectedly. The day my mom died, I was at the doctor getting medication for anxiety attacks (it sure felt like a heart attack at the time). She had been in a nursing home for several years and it was painful to watch her decline (she got to the point where she couldn't talk nor eat). The day that she died, I had the greatest sense of relief, and I haven't experienced an anxiety attack since.
Another 1- Thanks for your post- it resounds with me. This past year I lost both my mother and my husband about 3 1/2 mo apart. My mother was quite ill and elderly, and her death came as a blessing (though I miss her), but I watched my husband deteriorate for about a year following a lifelong disability. I don't feel I'm in danger of heart problems so much, but my anxiety/panic level is pretty bad. As you say, tending to the aftermath is soooo stressful, and I, for one, am going nuts !! I am going to my doctor as needed and making myself eat, even if it's supplementing things with Ensure or something similar. I know that I have to keep my nutrition up. I am also fortunate in that the hospital where he died has a grief support group, and I have been going regularly, beginning with my mother's death, rather than waiting to come completely unraveled. It has been very helpful, and I can't recommend some sort of counseling or support group strongly enough.
As far as not going to the funeral? Don't think of it. We had a memorial for my hubby at the hospital (where he had worked for a time and was well-known), and also a funeral Mass. I was fortunate in that the people who arranged these ceremonies allowed me to participate in their content, etc., and they provided a great sense of release and peace, as well as the comfort of the moral support of friends who attended. To all of you who grieve, I wish you peace and healing.
Hi Lezlie,
Sorry to hear that you lost your mother and husband, especially in such a short period of time. Glad to hear you have support to give you strength and the ability to share your feelings, also that you are keeping up your nutrition. I lost about 15 pounds during the initial depth of grieving, couldn't eat for about four days and was physically sick (vomitting.) Sorry to be so blunt but that was my reality at that time.
I completely agree with your recommendation of counseling/support groups. My family and a couple of close friends were a tremendous help also. Stay healthy and keep moving forward day by day.
In the last two years, I have lost all 4 of my grandparents, my father, several great aunts, my best friend, a dog that I had had for 17.5 years and loved dearly, and Teddy, a much beloved cat - he died on 1/2/12. The day after Teddy died, I wound up in the hospital with severe chest pains. It has all just become too much for me; emotionally.
Now I am on heart medication, anti-anxiety medication, and anti-depressants because my doctor feels that I am very likely to have a coronary if something does not change very soon... I wonder if there will ever be a light at the end of the tunnel now, or if my heart will just stay in a constant state of breaking for the rest of my life.
Hi Tiger-5...
Believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel. I felt the same way in that regard for quite some time (wondering if that broken feeling would ever leave.)
The doctor prescribed something for me but I didn't fill the prescription as I thought it best to let all the pain release itself over time in a natural way and it did.
Eventually, I went for walks around a local lake, shared my thoughts with people close to me and even kept a journal (which I am still doing.) All of this helped in my case. Every individual has to find their own way of coping that works for them.
One of my sisters and her husband lost (his) sister, their beloved cat, one of their sons, plus one of our brothers died all within about the span of about a year and a half. Please, do not feel alone in your pain. As I posted earlier, it does get better, just give it time and let yourself feel the pain so that it may pass. I wish you well.
My father had a heart attack less than 24hours after my mom passed...he was with her in heaven 11 days later...I always felt he literally died of a broken heart. They were married 65 years...
It's called Broken Heart Syndrome and its be known for quite some time now.
a little nitpicky, i admit, but "broken heart syndrome", aka tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy is a different entity altogether
It is acute heart failure, not heart attack. But it can happen from a stressful event
Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy is a really interesting topic!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S93AK-J6_Zk
i think so too...i had 2 patients in the CCU last month...one recovered, one did not do so well unfortunately
I know this to be true...you just don't realize it until it happens in your family!
Blessings to all ..
Another 1- So sweet of you to answer other posts. I am somewhat in the same boat with nutrition, weight loss. I discovered on the first visit to my doctor recently that since July (when my husband became critically ill and requested to be "DNR") that I had lost 13 lbs. The same thing happened when my first husband died about 23 yrs ago- only 7 lbs, but took forever to get stabilized again. I am on meds, as I have a panic/anxiety disorder, and would disintegrate without them.
My husband and I have rescued a number of animals over the year, and during this time, I lost one of our elderly cats, plus a couple of small animals. I know a lot of people would say, "It's only animals", but during such a bad time, ANY loss is a major emotional hit.
The support group is good partly because all of us are "in the same boat", and it's good to not feel so alone. Even reading these posts makes me realize that not only am I not alone in my feelings, but that many are dealing with even worse loss than I am, and my heart goes out to them. I hope we may all go through this so as to come out stronger on the other side of our "veil of sorrow".
BHS is real! (Broken Heart Syndrome) Happens to lots of older folks who have weathered many seasons together. Lost my dad in April...saw this syndrome first-hand. (Mom and dad were married 47 years.) Mom is better now, but I know she is still grieving. I feel better about the whole situation...we knew he was diagnosed with renal failure in 2009...kept working right up until January. He was a real trooper, and I'm so proud to say he IS my dad!