The Association of Mental Health Disorders with Takotsubo Syndrome (Broken Heart Syndrome) Among Older Women

“Please keep on beating”—Participation in a Creative Workshop Offers Unexpected Benefits to Women With Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy

“…None of the women attending the workshop had previously met anyone else who had had TCM and they all described feelings of anxiety related to their condition, lack of knowledge, and uncertainty about what the diagnosis meant for them and whether it might reoccur, as described previously. [8][9][10][11][12][13][14] The workshop provided them with an opportunity to meet others, thereby reducing their feelings of isolation, and articulate feelings about TCM, corroborating findings about the value of peer support and sharing of experiences in other health conditions. 20,21 It also provided an opportunity to explore and honor women's individual stories, a concept which is widely acknowledged as not only beneficial but fundamental to the holistic care of patients.…”

“…7 Psychological factors are implicated in many forms of heart disease, including TCM, and there is evidence that anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress, and some personality traits are associated with TCM. [8][9][10] Preexisting psychiatric illness has also been found to be associated with an increased risk of recurrent TCM. 11 In a narrative interview study with 19 people diagnosed with TCM, the salience of long-term stressful circumstances resulting in vulnerability to acute psychological or physical stressors and the subsequent onset of TCM was identified.…”