According to information from Nice Morning revealed this Monday, January 12, Bernard d’Ormale, the fourth and last husband of Brigitte Bardot, was the victim of illness in the streets of Saint-Tropez. A backlash due to complicated nights… and a “small arrhythmia.” But can the loss of a loved one be the cause of a heart problem? Dr. Gérald Kierzek, medical director of True Medical, enlightens us.
Victim of discomfort in the middle of the street, Bernard d’Ormale was evacuated by the firefighters
Just two days after the funeral of his wife, the iconic Brigitte Bardot, Bernard d’Ormale suffered a sudden illness.
“While he was climbing the slope, returning towards the house, Bernard d’Ormale felt ill. Fortunately, surrounded by several members of the Foundation that day, he was able to be helped and lie down while waiting for help to arrive.” our colleagues wrote.
Quickly taken care of by the firefighters, the businessman was directed “to a specialized hospital in Ollioules in order to undergo control examinations related to his condition before being placed under observation for the night”, can still be read.
And if the actress’ companion was able to return home this Saturday, this discomfort would not be accidental: it would follow great fatigue accumulated in recent weeks and a “small cardiac arrhythmia” – a rhythm disorder characterized by irregular heartbeats. A surprising complication, but nevertheless “entirely plausible“, according to Dr. Gérald Kierzek.
Yes, intense psychological shock can trigger an arrhythmia
According to the medical director of True Medical, a psychological shock or a very intense emotion can quite trigger heart rhythm disorders, especially in people who are already vulnerable on a cardiac level (history of arrhythmia, heart disease, significant anxiety, etc.).
“During acute stress (fear, anger, dramatic announcement, accident, bereavement, but also very intense positive emotion), the “sympathetic” nervous system is strongly activated and massively releases stress hormones (adrenaline, norepinephrine)”, he confirms to us.
In detail, this discharge causes an acceleration in the heart rate, an increase in blood pressure and can promote irregular beats (extrasystoles, tachycardia, sometimes atrial fibrillation) in certain subjects.
“In people who already have arrhythmia disorders (for example atrial fibrillation), negative emotions such as fear, sadness or anger increase the risk of recurrence of an arrhythmia episode, while significant positive emotions seem, on the contrary, to reduce it…”, further specifies the emergency doctor.
Different heart problems can occur
Among the different heart disorders that can occur, Dr. Gérald Kierzek distinguishes in particular:
- Tachycardias: heart too fast (often > 100 bpm at rest);
- Bradycardias: heart too slow (often < 50–60 bpm depending on the context);
- Irregular rhythm disorders:
extrasystoles (extra beats), atrial fibrillation (anarchic ear beats), etc.
Then, the different symptoms depending on the type of arrhythmia, the frequency of the episodes and the cardiological state of the patient:
- Palpitations (feeling of the heart “racing”, hitting hard, skipping beats or beating irregularly);
- A discomfortdizziness, lightheadedness, or even syncope in the event of a significant drop in cardiac output;
- Chest tightness or painshortness of breath, great fatigue, especially if the heart is already sick.
In the extreme, a major emotional shock can, more rarely, cause a so-called Takotsubo syndrome (“broken heart syndrome”), where a massive discharge of catecholamines which transiently alters the contraction of the heart muscle and is sometimes accompanied by rhythm disturbances. “This is an acute situation which mimics a heart attack (chest pain, dyspnea, drop in blood pressure) and which requires emergency treatment, with possible severe arrhythmia”, warns Dr Gérald Kierzek.
Cardiac symptoms: when to react?
Certain symptoms should not be neglected, according to the doctor: they represent a vital emergency.
“If you experience chest pain, sudden shortness of breath, malaise, syncope, or an abnormally fast or slow heart rate (and that persists), this is an emergency requiring immediate medical attention,” concludes the medical director of True Medical.