Health Network》Taiwan stock market plunge will cause you chest pain and cold sweats, be careful! Medical talks about "Broken Heart Syndrome"

[Health Channel/Comprehensive Report] Taiwan stocks were hit by the sharp decline in US stocks. They opened sharply today (6th), falling below the 40,000-point mark; many people have already laughed at themselves that "it's time to sleep in the park." Zeng Guoxiang, director of the Cardiovascular Center of the Hsinchu Branch of the National Army Taoyuan General Hospital, said on the Facebook fan page "Heart Worker Dr. Zeng Guoxiang" that if a patient complains: "I just finished reading the unrealized profit and loss, and suddenly I felt like my chest was pressed by a big stone, I couldn't breathe, and I even broke out in a cold sweat. Did I have a myocardial infarction?"

Zeng Guoxiang said that this may not be a simple nervousness or panic disorder. In the eyes of a cardiologist, extreme emotional ups and downs (whether it is the ecstasy of making huge profits or the extreme fear of plummeting prices) can trigger a "sympathetic storm" in the body! This storm can temporarily shut down your heart, causing a real emergency called Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy! Its symptoms and electrocardiogram are almost identical to fatal acute myocardial infarction.

Why do you see a heart strike when you look at stocks? Zeng Guoxiang said that "Takotsubo cardiomyopathy" is often called "broken heart syndrome". Zeng Guoxiang explained that when stocks fall to the limit, the brain will instantly experience extreme panic; at this time, the adrenal glands will release a large amount of "catecholamines" (stress hormones such as adrenaline). Ultra-high concentrations of stress hormones are toxic to heart muscles! It causes strong spasm and contraction of the coronary arteries, causing the bottom of the left ventricle to instantly become "paralyzed and non-contractive", causing the entire heart to expand like a balloon into the shape of the "takotsubo" tool used by the ancient Japanese to catch octopus.

The patient was sent to the emergency room, and the ECG and blood test indexes were exactly the same as myocardial infarction! It wasn't until we urgently performed a cardiac catheterization that we discovered: "Huh? The blood vessels are obviously not blocked!" It turned out that the heart was "scared to stop" due to emotions. Although most people recover within a few weeks, there is still a risk of fatal heart failure during the acute phase!

If you are a psychosomatic doctor, what you see may be a complete loss of control of the autonomic nervous system. If it is just a "panic attack", it is a false alarm from the brain and the heart is actually fine; but if it is the above-mentioned "broken heart syndrome", then the heart is really injured! The mentality of stock investors is "Afraid of not getting on the bus when it rises sharply, and afraid of changing the wallpaper when it plummets"; this long-term chronic anxiety will make your sympathetic nerves tense 24 hours a day, leading to severe insomnia, gastroesophageal reflux, and ultimately become the perfect trigger for cardiovascular disease.

Zeng Guoxiang suggested: If a decline occurs, your heart will beat faster and you will be unable to sleep all night; this means: "Your investment position has far exceeded your risk tolerance!" At this time, "asset allocation" needs to be strictly implemented. Use your spare money to invest and set good stop-loss and profit-stop points. "An investment you can sleep on is a good investment!"

Zeng Guoxiang put forward 3 suggestions:

1. Before reading the market, drink a glass of warm water: When warm water passes through the esophagus, it can slightly stimulate the "parasympathetic nerve (vagus nerve)", which can act like a brake, slightly suppressing the sympathetic nerve storm.

2. Start the "4-4-4-4 Box Breathing Method": When you see the green panel, please put down your phone first. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, and hold for 4 seconds; this will hopefully forcefully lower your heart rate for a minute.

3. Make good use of smart orders and stay away from the screen: Set automatic stop loss and profit points, then turn off your phone and go for exercise or a walk. If you don’t watch, you won’t have stress hormones.