Is there a condition where your heart could stop due to a sudden noise, etc?

[heatherhcf]

I am looking for a specific condition...I am being told that there is something out there and there is a name for it. A cardiologist also said that is where the term "scared to death" came from.

It was on Dateline or 20/20 a couple years ago and it referred to a sudden noise or being startled that would cause your heart to stop beating....What is the name of this if anyone knows.

[heatherhcf]

I am trying to find info. on myocardial stunning...Does anyone know if it can cause death??

Or does anyone know a good website to go to for more info. Please help. Thanks.

[dana anne]

Do a google search with the phrase myocardial stunning

[dana anne]

probably a weak heart that couldn't withstand the fright.  Don't know the term and even tried to find it for you.  Ask your Doc.

[dana anne]

Broken Heart Syndrome  ?

[dana anne]

or

Myocardial Stunning ?

[tnt406]

HI HEATHER I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR 2 DAYS.I CAME A CROSS ONE ARTICLE.IT HAD ONE WORD IN IT,THAT WAS CALLED CATALYSM.I LOOKED IT UP,IT MIGHT BE WHAT YOUR LOOKING FOR.YOU CAN ALL SO LOOK IT UP.IF IT IS NOT RIGHT LET ME KNOW.I HAVE ALL SO E-MAILED SOME ONE ABOUT THIS QUESTION GIGGLE.I HOPE THEY DON'T THINK I'M CRAZY.TAKE CARE OF YOUR SELF.TNT406

[heatherhcf]

Having trouble trying to find the word catalysm. Could you refer me to the article in which you found it or the website. That would be helpful. Thanks.

[IWantToBeAMom]

There is an article, entitled "'Scared to death,' more than just an expression" located at www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2001-12/uoc--td121801.php



A sentence from that article is:  Phillips' research, published in the December 2001 issue of the British Medical Journal, may provide the most persuasive evidence to date linking extreme psychological stress and fatal heart attacks.



This article may help you to get to the December 2001 issue of the British Medical Journal to read his research further...

[Angie O'Plasty]

I believe you're thinking of Long QT syndrome.  This is basically a genetic electrical glitch in the heart, that causes it to take longer than normal to repolarize (which means to "reset" for the next beat).  The result is that the person is susceptible to an arrhythmia called torsades de pointes, which is a very fast rhythm that doesn't pump much blood (and in some cases pumps none) so the person passes out and may not have a pulse.  The torsades de pointes can also deteriorate further into ventricular fibrillation.  There are a few different genetic mutations, affecting different ion channels in the heart muscle (mostly potassium channels, but one type affects a sodium channel), that cause different types of Long QT, and one type does tend to be triggered by being startled.  Some of the other types are triggered by strenuous exercise (in one type, swimming is especially problematic for triggering torsades).  Patients with Long QT often get implanted defibrillators to shock the heart back into a normal rhythm if an episode occurs--then they don't have to wait for someone to get there with a defib.

[Angie O'Plasty]

I forgot something.  As for this being where "scared to death" came from, it's certainly possible.  However, Long QT is a rather unusual condition.

[Angie O'Plasty]

I just saw your previous post about your mother and the circumstances surrounding her death.  Is there any history of things like this happening to other people in your family, or history of unexplained fainting spells?  As far as getting tested, it might be a good idea to get an EKG and have them measure the QT interval, corrected for heart rate.  Like I said, Long QT is a rather unusual condition but the situation you describe might fit with this.  There are also medications that can interfere with ion channels in some people and cause a similar problem to Long QT (but it goes away once the medication is out of the body).  I think Seldane was taken off the market for this reason; erythromycin can also do this in rare cases, and some medications should not be combined because the combination can potentially cause torsades de pointes.  I would also suggest you go to the heart forum and try to post a question for the doctor to answer.