Happy heart syndrome: role of positive emotional stress in takotsubo syndrome
Authors' conclusion
Our data illustrate that TTS can be triggered by not only negative but also positive life events. While patient characteristics were similar between groups, the midventricular TTS type was more prevalent among the 'happy hearts' than among the 'broken hearts'.
Study context
- Population
- TTS patients with a definite emotional trigger, International Takotsubo Registryof 1750 TTS patients
- Participants
- 485 patients
- Exposure
- Pleasant emotional triggers vs negative emotional triggers
- Happy heart syndromen = 20
- Broken heart syndromen = 465reference
- Outcome
- Prevalence and characteristics of TTS following pleasant events
Methodological detailsInternational Takotsubo Registry
- International Takotsubo Registry
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Prevalence of trigger type among emotionally triggered TTS
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Chest pain
P = 1.0
| Outcome | Happy heart syndrome | Broken heart syndrome | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midventricular involvementPost hoc analysis | 35.0 | 16.3% | P = 0.030 |
ECG parameters, laboratory findings, 1-year outcome
- Did not differ between groups
Original publication
Happy heart syndrome: role of positive emotional stress in takotsubo syndrome. Eur Heart J. Published 2 March 2016. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it