Description

Did you know that heartbreak can be a very dangerous medical condition? Leading New Jersey cardiologist Aaron Feingold tells Pat Barbarito that broken-heart syndrome has all the painful and terrifying symptoms of an actual heart attack – and diagnosing this condition requires open communication between doctor and patient. 

Conversation highlights:

•  How only an echocardiogram shows the difference between broken-heart syndrome and other forms of cardiomyopathies (heart attack, COVID-related, high blood pressure, etc.);
•  The influence of 17th century bubonic plague doctor Jacob Zahalon on identifying the physical signs of lovesickness and recommending treatments to cure the brokenhearted;
• How modern medicine’s separation of the mind and spirit from the body creates difficulty in reaching the right diagnosis when emotional injuries are at the root of physical ailments;
• Dr. Feingold’s stance on the need for medical practitioners to avoid insinuating that a patient’s concerns are all in their head.

BONUS: Learn why broken-heart syndrome’s official name, takotsubo cardiomyopathy, is derived from a Japanese octopus trap.

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