STV NewsAn Aberdeenshire mum says she wasn’t aware the severe chest pain she experienced after her mum passed away was down to her “broken heart.”
Brenda Young led an active and busy life, but that all changed last November when she stood by her mum’s side as she passed away from a complicated illness.
The 57-year-old residential social worker recalls having intense pain in her chest within minutes, and was admitted to the hospital.
Brenda had what experts call a takotsubo attack, which is often mistaken for a heart attack and triggered by sudden emotional stress.
She said: “I just remember thinking – this cannot be happening – not today.
“I knew there was something really wrong. My family were all around my mum’s bedside and I thought ‘how can I tell them I’m having chest pain? Not now!’
“I just couldn’t get my head around that my mum was gone and this was happening.
“I didn’t realise it was actually something that really did happen to your heart, and it’s quite a serious condition that there is no treatment for.”
That could soon change as the first-ever clinical trial of a medication for the long-term management of the condition gets under way.
The seven-year-long study, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), will involve scientists and clinicians from across the UK, including Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Almost 1,000 takotsubo patients from 40 hospitals across the country will also take part.
Professor Dana Dawson, chair in cardiovascular medicine at the University of Aberdeen and consultant cardiologist at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, who is leading the trial, explained: “Takotsubo syndrome affects thousands of people in the UK year on year – most of whom are women.
“The figures are stark in that one in ten will ultimately die from their condition.
“It is a growing problem, and with ever-improving clinical recognition, the diagnosis rate has increased 5-fold in the past decade.
“The long-term risk of death or serious health problems after a takotsubo attack is similar to patients who suffer a heart attack due to a blocked heart artery but despite this, there are no proven therapies for takotsubo, no treatment guidelines, leaving doctors and patients uncertain and concerned.”
It has been suggested that medicines that relax blood vessels, called ‘renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors, could be an effective course of treatment.
Currently used to treat heart attacks due to heart artery blockage, high blood pressure or heart failure, this study will scientifically test the effectiveness of RAS inhibitors in takotsubo.
Professor Dawson added: “People living with takotsubo syndrome are effectively in limbo at the moment.
“There is no proven therapy, which means treatments can vary from person to person.
“We know that following an attack, the impact on the patient’s quality of life can be extremely debilitating.
“We may find the first therapy that improves survival and reduces the burden of disease after a takotsubo attack, or we may establish that these are not effective and therefore redirect the search to other treatments that may work.
“Ultimately, we hope that the outcome of this study will enable takotsubo patients to live a full and healthy life knowing that their condition is being managed as effectively as possible.”
Brenda, who is recovering at home and is starting to ease back into work, will take part in the trial.
She feels strongly that more people should be aware of takotsubo and is hopeful that this trial will open the door to a specific treatment for the condition.
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