Dalton Lovell was watching his wife and daughter practice martial arts at an Arlington gym when he suddenly began feeling dizzy.<\/p>\n
He tried to get his wife’s attention, but something was wrong.<\/p>\n
“I do remember feeling like a little dizzy, and like, oh, I need to get Becca. And that’s really the last thing that I remember,” Lovell recalled.<\/p>\n
Seconds later, the 35-year-old father went into sudden cardiac arrest.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, several people at the gym knew CPR and immediately jumped into action.<\/p>\n
For approximately 10 minutes, bystanders took turns performing chest compressions until emergency responders arrived.<\/p>\n
Among those helping was Lisa Britt, director of the emergency department at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital, who happened to be at the gym.<\/p>\n
“I fully believe that immediate bystander CPR, in addition to just the higher power being with Dalton, helped to save his life,” Britt said.<\/p>\n
Lovell was rushed to Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital, where a cardiac team was waiting to treat him, but his medical history revealed something unusual.<\/p>\n
Years earlier, Lovell had been diagnosed with a condition known as broken heart syndrome. Despite its name, broken heart syndrome isn’t necessarily caused by heartbreak.<\/p>\n
The condition, medically known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy, occurs when part of the heart muscle suddenly weakens, making it harder for the heart to pump blood effectively.<\/p>\n
According to the American Heart Association<\/a>, the condition is believed to be linked to a surge of stress hormones following an intense emotional or physical event.<\/p>\n The death of a loved one, a breakup or a frightening experience can trigger it, but so can serious illness, surgery or even an unexpectedly happy event. Symptoms often resemble a heart attack, including chest pain and shortness of breath.<\/p>\n However, unlike a typical heart attack caused by a blocked artery, broken heart syndrome involves a temporary change in how the heart muscle functions.<\/p>\n Most patients recover within days or weeks, but the condition can sometimes cause serious complications, including heart failure, dangerous heart rhythms and cardiac arrest.<\/p>\n The Mayo Clinic<\/a> reports that broken heart syndrome is more common in women, particularly those older than 50. However, men who develop the condition may face a greater risk of death.<\/p>\n