Happiness Can Cause Heart Problems

For a long time, we have known that sadness or a stressful event can cause heart muscles to become weaker. This may cause shortness of breath, a pain in the chest and may eventually lead to a heart attack. Now, a study published by the European Heart Journal claims that happiness can also lead to the same symptoms.

Swiss researchers at the University of Zurich looked at data coming from almost 500 patients in 9 countries who were likely to acquire such a broken heart disease. In most cases, the death of a family member or close relative, an accident, divorce or other relationship problems caused such a heart weakness.

However, in 20 patients the same symptoms were triggered by happy and joyful events, such as birthday parties, weddings, the birth of a grandchild or after their favourite team had won a competition. Experts call this the happy heart syndrome.

The researchers point out that doctors should be aware of both sides when treating patients. According to the study, reasons for a broken heart syndrome may be more widespread than previously considered. The study has also found out that in over 90% of the cases, older women over 60 were at risk.

What exactly causes such a syndrome remains unknown. The broken heart syndrome was first witnessed in Japan in 1990. At the beginning it was connected to negative emotions that lead to an increase in hormones. Doctors believe that emotional reactions make the nervous system behave in a certain way.

Vocabulary/Expressions:

1.symptom - subjective evidence of disease or physical disturbance.

2.trigger - to cause something to start.

3.widespread - existing or happening in many places and/or among many people.

4.hormone - any of various chemicals in the body that are carried by the blood and that influence the body’s growth and how it works.

5.reaction - behaviour, a feeling or an action that is a direct result of something else.

Questions:

1.What is typically believed to be one of the reasons for heart weakness according to the article?

2. How does broken heart syndrome differ from happy heart syndrome?.

3.Why should doctors have to consider both of these when treating patients?

4.In what ways can we take care of our hearts?

5. Many researchers say that being happy is likely to result in better health. How far do you agree with this?