Do people REALLY get heart attacks from being scared?

Question

I mean, wouldn't your heart get the same amount of stimulation from running 100m..

can someone please explain..

Answer 1

Everyone is scared of getting a heart attack, but it does not mean to abandon our life, jusst because of some media gives an examples, they normally report a few exceptional cases, and people are carried away. WHAT ABOUT THE MAJORITY THEY ARE DOING FINE.
So continue with your daily life pattern with hope of a better tomorrow.
All the best.

Answer 2

It is theoretically possible but heart attacks often have warning signs before the heart attack occurs and having an episode of being scared would not be at the top of the list as causes. Shoveling snow, heavy lifting, vigorous activity all can precipitate a heart attack. Very few people actually have a heart attack while running and yes, that kind of stimulation could precipitate one but most people who have had heart attacks are not in good enough shape to run.

Answer 3

It is rare but possible.

Since the body's biological response to fear is to prepare for fight or flight (running away), the body must transition quickly to a state that supports using a lot of energy quickly. Among the changes that take place are an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing. These effects are caused by an outpouring of chemicals called catecholamines which regulate blood pressure, heart rate, and other functions.

If the blood vessels that feed the heart are already weak, blocked, or torn, the fight or flight response can further aggravate the vessels and lead to a heart attack.

The vast majority of heart attacks are caused by a long accumulation of bad things. Among them the major EMOTIONAL contributor is anger, not fear. The main causes are really smoking, poor diet, and lack of exercise, but anger is commonly identified as a cause.

Hope this answer isn't scary. ;-)

Answer 4

A great example for this answer is anxiety disorder. You can be literally scared to death, but it would have to be the the point where it's truly traumatic. As an example, let's say someone is not given their anti-anxiety attack medication (xanax, valium, ect) and they're in a stressful situation, I've seen heart rates reach well over 100. You can have a heart attack from an anxiety/panic attack. I'm sure the number of deaths caused by this is very very small.

Answer 5

I often wondered about that. But the sense of fear for your life at any level can differ from people, and the rate of hert beats may increase more than others. There was this mexican actress named Mariana Levy who was assaulted while getting in her car... she was so scared she died of a heart attack, the saddest thing though was that she was barely 30 years of age.
On a side note people can also die of laughter, like Eduardo Palomo who died laughing while eating at a restaurant with some friends. He didn't have food in his mouth at the moment he began to laugh, but he ended up getting a heart attack as well.

Answer 6

If a person already has a weak heart and they're scared...or for instance...tasered, or win the lottery (the shock) they get an instant adrenaline rush, the heart spasms and yes, that can certainly cause a heart attack.

Yes, you can also stimulate your heart from over exertion and cause a heart attack. Your heart will work as hard as it possibly can to maintain your blood flow and bring oxygen to your organs etc... If you push it too hard and it can't keep up...you'll have chest pains (angina) and if you don't stop, you can have a heart attack.

Answer 7

I think it depends on the person, if they have a history of heart problems or a weak heart, they may be more prone to having a heart attack for a less severe reason than another person. Also, it depends on how scared a person gets. Such as, most people that jump off buildings tend to be so scared that they die of heart attacks before they even hit the ground.

Answer 8

Yes, it has happened before. ABC NEWS says:
Martin A. Samuels, a neurologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, says it's possible to die from intense fear.

"Can one be scared to death? Yes," he said. "There is unequivocal evidence that one can be scared to death under certain and very specific circumstances."

Samuels has dedicated his life to exploring sudden death.

After studying hundreds of cases, he says his theory is that catastrophic events -- like the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks; an earthquake; or the loss of a loved one -- can cause someone to literally be scared to death.

"I know this because I have cases of children with absolutely no heart disease who died on amusement-park rides," Samuels said.

Samuels is not referring to an everyday heart attack brought on by mild stress, but rather a shock to the heart caused by chemicals sent out by the brain.

"It would be like getting an enormous dose of speed or ecstasy," he said.


'Lightening Bolt' Can Set off Deadly Chain of Events
According to Samuels, the catastrophic event can be like a lightening bolt to the heart that is fueled by a series of internal chain reactions that begin deep in the brain -- what scientists call the "fight or flight" response.

"You're just minding your business going home one day and somebody puts a gun to your head. 'Your money or your life,' he says. It's not a game," he said.

Many people have probably felt an adrenaline rush during a traumatic event.

That rush can set off a life-threatening process: Pupils dilate, muscles prepare for action, and the heart is flooded with chemicals from the nervous system.

For most, the process ends there without injury.

"This chemical goes back into the bloodstream. The heart goes back to normal, and we walk away," Samuels said.

But the neurologist believes that for a very rare few, if they're scared enough and feel there is no escape route, that jolt of chemicals can physically damage the heart.

In extreme cases, it can cause sudden death.

Answer 9

There is a heart defect that makes the last part of a heartbeat wave, as seen on an EKG, to be prolonged. This refractory period is dangerous. People who did not know they had this condition have even been startled to death by their alarm clocks ringing.

Answer 10

Eduardo Palomo Cause Of Death