Men Die More from Broken Heart Syndrome

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Two hands hold a broken paper heart against a cloudy sky with sunlight shining through.
A broken heart can be more than just a feeling.

A broken heart is not just a feeling. It can make people very sick. A new study shows that men who get it die more often than women.

The condition is called broken heart syndrome. The real medical name is takotsubo cardiomyopathy. About 83% of patients are women. But men who get it have bigger problems.

The study looked at almost 200,000 cases from 2016 to 2020. The average age of patients was 67 years old.

Fewer men got the condition, but they died more often. About 11% of men died. Only 5.5% of women died. That is two times more deaths for men.

What causes broken heart syndrome? Doctors say it can happen after a big shock. This can be the loss of a loved one. It can be a car accident. It can be very bad news.

When something terrible happens, your body makes stress hormones. These hormones can hurt part of your heart. The heart gets weak. It cannot pump blood well.

The condition is not very common. That makes it hard to study. Doctors still don't know how to prevent it.

Much about broken heart syndrome is unknown. But one thing is clear. A broken heart can really make you sick.

Published:

Source: healthline.com

For source links, see the article on ESLNewsStories.com

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Audio

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Listen and Fill Gaps

Listen to the audio and complete the gaps below:

A broken heart is not just a feeling. It can make people very (1) __________. A new study shows that men who get it die more often than women.

The condition is called broken heart syndrome. The real medical name is takotsubo cardiomyopathy. About 83% of patients are (2) __________. But men who get it have bigger problems.

The study looked at almost 200,000 cases from 2016 to 2020. The average age of patients was 67 years old.

Fewer men got the condition, but they died more often. About 11% of men died. Only 5.5% of women died. That is two times more deaths for men.

What causes broken heart syndrome? Doctors say it can happen after a big shock. This can be the (3) __________ of a loved one. It can be a car accident. It can be very bad news.

When something terrible happens, your body makes (4) __________ hormones. These hormones can hurt part of your heart. The heart gets weak. It cannot pump blood well.

The condition is not very common. That makes it hard to study. Doctors still don't know how to prevent it.

Much about broken heart syndrome is (5) __________. But one thing is clear. A broken heart can really make you sick.

Comprehension

Answer each question by selecting True or False, then click Check Answers to see your results.

  • Broken heart syndrome is a real health problem.
    The article says it is a real heart condition, not just a feeling.
  • Most people with broken heart syndrome are men.
    The article says 83% of people with the condition are women.
  • Broken heart syndrome can happen after a sad event.
    The article mentions the loss of a loved one as a possible cause.
  • Doctors know exactly what causes broken heart syndrome.
    The article says much is unknown and researchers don't fully understand it.

Comprehension

1. Broken heart syndrome is a real health problem. TRUE/FALSE

2. Most people with broken heart syndrome are men. TRUE/FALSE

3. Broken heart syndrome can happen after a sad event. TRUE/FALSE

4. Doctors know exactly what causes broken heart syndrome. TRUE/FALSE

Vocabulary n = noun, v = verb, adj = adjective, adv = adverb, prep = preposition, phr. v = phrasal verb, pl = plural

Loading vocabulary activity...

Vocabulary

Match each vocabulary word with a definition:

1. Syndrome (n)

2. Study (n)

3. Condition (n)

4. Patient (n)

5. Loss (n)

6. Stress (n)

7. Hormone (n)

8. Heart (n)

a) The organ in your chest that pumps blood through your body.

b) A chemical in your body that controls how it works.

c) Worry or pressure that makes you feel bad.

d) When someone dies or you lose something important.

e) A person who gets medical help from a doctor.

f) A health problem or disease.

g) Research work that tries to learn new facts.

h) A group of health problems that happen together.

Discussion

  1. What do you do to feel better when something bad happens?
  2. Can feelings make us sick?
  3. Do you talk to friends or family about your feelings?
  4. Have you ever had a "broken heart" feeling? What happened?
  5. The article talks about stress hormones. What things give you stress?
  6. What are good ways to reduce stress in your life?
  7. Are men or women more romantic?
  8. What do you prefer? A love story that ends happily or sadly?
  9. What exercise can we do for heart health?
  10. What foods are healthy for our hearts? What foods are bad for our hearts?

Answers

Listening:

  1. sick
  2. women
  3. loss
  4. stress
  5. unknown

Comprehension:

  1. True. The article says it is a real heart condition, not just a feeling.
  2. False. The article says 83% of people with the condition are women.
  3. True. The article mentions the loss of a loved one as a possible cause.
  4. False. The article says much is unknown and researchers don't fully understand it.

Vocabulary:

  1. Syndrome (n): A group of health problems that happen together.

  2. Study (n): Research work that tries to learn new facts.

  3. Condition (n): A health problem or disease.

  4. Patient (n): A person who gets medical help from a doctor.

  5. Loss (n): When someone dies or you lose something important.

  6. Stress (n): Worry or pressure that makes you feel bad.

  7. Hormone (n): A chemical in your body that controls how it works.

  8. Heart (n): The organ in your chest that pumps blood through your body.

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