Woman Hospitalized With Heart Condition After Mistaking Wasabi for Avocado

We all make food mistakes that break our hearts. Like ordering a steak that could double as a bludgeoning tool at a casual restaurant. Or biting into the wrong kind of pepper. Or eating a chicken sandwich at Chick-fil-A. But nothing quite compares to accidentally swallowing a ton of wasabi -- we're sure many of your mouths have experienced how that smooth, putty-like matter melts swiftly into oral purgatory. 

What's uncommon, however, is getting "Broken Heart Syndrome" as a result of eating wasabi. We've only seen one documented case, released just recently in the BMJ Case Reports' September issue.

The woman documented in the case was reportedly in her late 60s, attending a wedding, when the incident occurred. She had thought the tray of wasabi was avocado dip, until her body informed her that she was sorely mistaken. 

According to IFL Science, the woman felt a sudden pressure in her chest that lasted for hours. In the morning she felt weak and "uncomfortable," as if for the first time in a long time she'd woken up alone. </3. She went to the doctor and was appropriately diagnosed with "Broken Heart Syndrome." Doctors performed an electrocardiogram (ECG) that confirmed she had akotsubo cardiomyopathy, which is the more science-y name for the syndrome.

The case reads: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy triggered by wasabi consumption: can sushi break your heart?

"Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a left ventricular dysfunction that typically occurs after sudden intense emotional or physical stress," says the report. "To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of takotsubo cardiomyopathy triggered by wasabi consumption."

Medical News Today said the condition can include chest pains and shortness of breath. The syndrome affects the heart's ability to pump blood around your body efficiently. 

If you've experienced a terrible breakup or rejection recently, rest assured knowing that you, like the wasabi woman, can recover. Just treat yourself with beta blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. Or something like that.