Surgeon shares 4 facts you may not know about your heart: ‘Broken heart syndrome presents just like a heart attack’

Cardiovascular surgeon highlights 4 unknown facts about the heart, including that it is about the size of clasped hands, beats 100,000 times daily, and more.

The heart is one of the most incredible and hardworking organs inside your body. It pumps about 70 millilitres (two ounces) of blood with each beat, and does this over three billion times in the average person's lifetime, according to Bayer Global.

The heart's main function is to pump blood throughout your body, bringing oxygen and nutrients to your cells. However, there are some facts about this incredible organ that many people don't know. In an Instagram post shared on March 19, Dr Jeremy London, a cardiovascular surgeon with over 25 years of experience, highlighted 4 facts that you may not know.

4 unknown facts about the heart

Listing the four interesting facts that you may not know about your heart, Dr Jeremy noted that the human heart is a compact yet remarkably powerful organ. He also highlighted that despite its small stature, it performs the staggering task of pumping thousands of gallons of blood through a vast network of vessels every day. Let's find out the unknown facts he listed in his video:

1. According to Dr Jeremy, if you clasp your hands together, that's about the size of your heart. It seems kind of small, but it's super powerful.

2. Next, he mentioned that the heart beats about 1,00,000 times every 24 hours and pumps about 2,000 gallons of blood through the body. “That's a lot of work every second of your life,” he added.

3. Thirdly, the cardiovascular surgeon mentioned that if you line up all of your blood vessels end to end, they'll stretch out almost 60,000 miles.

4. Finally, Dr Jeremy highlighted one fact about the heart that many people have never heard of: ‘The broken heart syndrome.’ According to him, this condition is a real diagnosis.

What is broken heart syndrome?

The cardiovascular surgeon explained, “Broken heart syndrome presents just like a heart attack, with chest pain and shortness of breath. However, when we look, there are no blockages. But there is a sudden decrease in the strength of heart function.”

According to him, this happens more commonly in women and is usually brought on by ‘intense emotional strain, such as financial loss, the death of a loved one, or a bad medical diagnosis.’

He further added, “Now, the good news is that most patients recover with support and time, but it's not entirely benign. It can be fatal in five to ten percent of the time. So yes, you can die of a broken heart, but most hearts heal.”

“Remember, the heart is resilient, but it is not invincible. Take care of your heart, both physically and emotionally,” Dr Jeremy cautioned in the end.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.