In 2018, Matt Paulson, CEO of Omaze, one of BHF’s charity partners, began experiencing stomach pain and swelling. This extreme physical stress led to a heart disease called Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, which left him fighting for his life.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as “broken heart syndrome,” is a sudden, often temporary heart condition that can mimic the symptoms of a heart attack. It is often caused by extreme mental or physical stress and can be life-threatening.

Matt Paulson helped raise a total of £3 million for the BHF. However, little is known that he himself has personal experience with cardiovascular disease.

One day in 2018, Matt’s stomach started to swell while he was at work. He called his doctor friend for advice and was told to go to the hospital immediately. He was planning to have a party that night, but he didn’t expect to be locked up overnight. However, his condition worsened and his heart rate began to drop rapidly as his pain became more and more excruciating.

“It all started when I was a baby. I was born with a twisted and crooked stomach. I had surgery to correct it at the time, but strangely, years later, I was born with a twisted and crooked stomach. Later, the scar tissue from the surgery came off and caused an intestinal blockage. The extreme pain and physical stress of the intestinal blockage was what ultimately caused the calluses,” explains Matt.

When his condition became critical, Matt’s doctors were unaware that the intestinal obstruction had caused Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. He then went into cardiac arrest.

As Matt was lying on the floor, his mother struggled into the room. “When the nurse wouldn’t let her in, my mother said, ‘I was there when he came into the world. If he were to leave now, I would be in that room. I’m going to be there,’” Matt says. “As they were doing chest compressions and defibrillation, she said to me, ‘Matthew David Paulson, these people are fighting to save your life.’ They’re fighting hard to bring you back, but you’re not fighting hard enough. You have to fight harder.”

Four and a half minutes later, Matt’s heart started beating again. He then quickly fell into a coma, but after a series of procedures and a difficult recovery, he is now well and has no further problems with his heart.

“This experience changed me a lot. Before, I was more ego-driven and more reserved about telling people I loved them. Now I love myself more. Now.”

What is Takotsubo?

The word “takotsubo” comes from the name of the pot used by Japanese fishermen to catch octopuses. This is because the disease changes the shape of the heart’s left ventricle (the main blood pumping chamber). It develops a narrow neck and rounded bottom, giving it an appearance similar to an octopus trap. This change in shape also reduces strength.

Amelia Rudd, BHF Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Aberdeen, is investigating what factors influence recovery from the condition. Little is known about people with takotsubo, but researchers recently established the Scottish Takotsubo Register. This is a database of all cases of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in Scotland since 2010, including links to health records. Amelia’s research draws on this rich source of information to examine the characteristics of Takotsubo patients, their other health conditions, and what types of medications they tend to take before and after diagnosis.

“Recovery rates vary from person to person, with some people experiencing symptoms of shortness of breath and reduced mobility for months after the accident, and in some cases even longer,” Amelia explains. “My main focus at the moment is data analysis and getting as much information as possible. And I want to find out if there is a genetic component to Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.”

Want to hear more from Matt Paulson and Amelia Ladd?

Watch live and ticking here