Volunteers wanted for study into first-ever treatment for ‘broken heart syndrome’

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy was only discovered in the late 90s

File photo: Condition affects 5,000 people across the UK every year (PA)

Volunteers are being sought for a trial of a treatment for the condition known as “broken heart syndrome”, first discovered in the late 1990s.

University of Aberdeen researchers want to recruit nearly 100 Scottish people for the trial, which will include a programme of exercise and psychological therapies for those diagnosed with the condition.

The condition, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy,involves the heart muscle becomes suddenly weakened is said to affect around 5,000 people across the UK every year and at least 7 per cent of all heart attacks are attributed to it.

The new trial aims to recruit 90 people from across Scotland, with participants signed up within three weeks of suffering an episode.

They will then be given either a personalised exercise conditioning programme, a regime of cognitive behavioural therapy, or be part of the control group.

The research is set to last for the next three years. Funding for the trial a grant of £300,000 from the British Heart Foundation.

Dr David Gamble, from the University of Aberdeen, said: “Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, or broken heart syndrome, remains a comparatively poorly understood condition.

“It is vital that we develop a high-quality evidence base to guide clinicians in the management of this condition.

“In many clinical intervention trials, we are attempting to make incremental improvements to existing treatments, but as broken heart syndrome is at such an early stage there is no established treatment to use as a base.”

Professor Dana Dawson, also from the university, said: “We already know that cardiovascular disease affects men and women in different ways, so there is no reason why a one-size-fits-all treatment should work for broken heart syndrome.

“After so long spent researching this condition, it is great to be taking this huge step towards developing a standardised treatment for it and we look forward to seeing the results in due course.”

Professor James Leiper, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: “Takotsubo syndrome is a sudden and potentially catastrophic heart condition which has only been recognised in recent years.

“As such, these trials to find the first ever treatment for the condition are a huge step forward and will play a significant role in increasing our understanding of this neglected area of cardiology.”