As the year draws to a close and businesses look to ramp up for the year-end festivities, cardiologists at the Nobel Heart Centre under Healthway Medical Group are similarly preparing to handle more patients with ‘celebratory conditions’ – health and medical conditions that are triggered by joy – the Happy Heart Syndrome and the Holiday Heart Syndrome.
The Happy Heart Syndrome
The Happy Heart Syndrome is the equivalent of Takotsubo syndrome, which may lead to acute heart failure, even in the young. Scientifically recognised as a medical condition similar to the Broken Heart Syndrome, where the heart fails in a moment of extreme grief, a Happy Heart Syndrome may be triggered by joyful activities such as giving a congratulatory speech, watching a football game, or, as expected every year end, festive celebrations with friends and family.
In a study of 2,482 patients, 910 exhibited an emotional trigger which consisted of 873 “broken hearts” (negative triggers) and 37 with “happy hearts” (positive triggers). More of the happy hearts patients were males and displayed atypical ballooning patterns (swollen ventricles). Complications including death, pulmonary edema (fluid in lungs), cardiogenic shock (insufficient blood being pumped to organs) and stroke were similar in both happy and broken hearted patients. Happy heart triggers included anticipation of vacations, spa visits and even gardening, but most were triggered by celebrations with family.
In Singapore, Dr Koh Choong Hou, Consultant Cardiologist of Healthway Medical Group, personally sees more female patients presenting with Happy Heart Syndromes so he warns both genders to be aware.
The Holiday Heart Syndrome
The second condition – the Holiday Heart Syndrome – is a brain-heart interaction with sympathetic overdrive, where the body is pushed to react in order to cope with extra stimuli which may lead to abnormal heart rhythms (atrial fibrillation).
According to research, it has been shown that during periods of festivities, doctors see more cases of arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats) and these are normally caused by excessive alcoholic drinking during celebrations. Affected persons may experience shortness of breath, unusual and persistent giddiness, heart palpitations or extreme lethargy – all preliminary signs of sudden heart failure.
Prevention and Expert Advice
Atrial fibrillation may be treated with medication or by administering quick, low-energy shocks to reset heart rhythm, but Dr Koh advises taking precautions to avoid the situation completely by controlling alcohol intake at parties and being careful with medications. Additionally, he warns that taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) to ease hangover symptoms may put even more stress on one’s heart, so it is best to avoid them.
“Creating awareness saves lives,” says Dr Koh. “Though it seems farfetched that feelings of joy can affect one’s health to such an extent, Happy Heart Syndrome (Takotsubo cardiomyopathy) and Holiday Heart Syndrome are real and serious conditions, especially when they happen to young persons who brush off the initial warning signs. I have seen cases where healthy adults have reacted dramatically to seemingly innocuous events, which result in them being admitted for symptoms of acute heart failure, where they may be hospitalised.
Vacations, year-end holidays and celebrations are meant to be joyful occasions. It’s really no fun having to disrupt your festivities with an unplanned hospital visit. So as 2024 draws to a close, I’d like to remind everyone to play safe, stay healthy and to party in moderation!”
Dr Koh is the region’s only dual-accredited specialist in Cardiology and Aviation Medicine. He sub-specialises in cardiac imaging (echocardiography). His unique qualifications have placed him in a situations where he has witnessed and treated distinctive heart cases with particular heart stressors, including happy heart patients travelling for the first time.
For more information on Healthway Medical Group’s cardiology services, visit their website.
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