Sudden Stress Found To Mimic Heart Attack Symptoms

According to latest research , sudden emotional stress can result in severe but reversible heart muscle weakness that mimics a classic heart attack.

Stress cardiomyopathy is often misdiagnosed as having a massive heart attack. According to the researchers, patients have actually suffered from a surge in adrenalin and other stress hormones that temporarily “stun” the heart , causing them to experience symptoms similar to a typical heart attack including chest pain, fluid in the lungs, shortness of breath, and heart failure. However according to researchers the symptoms do not result in permanent damage. Most patients show dramatic improvements in their hearts’ ability to pump blood within a few days and within two weeks, patients experience a full recovery.

Thus researchers say their findings should help physicians distinguish between stress cardiomyopathy and heart attacks in order to be able to reassure patients they have not had permanent heart damage just due to the symptoms .