Can Halloween scares actually be dangerous for your heart? What cardiologists say

For some, Halloween is all about fun, with trick-or-treating, costumes, candy and parties. For others, it s about spooky season: heart-pounding haunted houses, jump-scare horror movies and frightening decorations. But could those scary moments literally scare you to death? Technically, yes. But it s rare and unlikely, cardiologist Jeff Ziffra with Advocate Health said. Often when we re scared, we get a jolt, a sudden rush of adrenaline, our blood pressure and heart rate raise, Ziffra said during an interview with NBC Chicago. Pre-existing conditions or underlying heart disease are typically a factor, as spikes like that can trigger cardiac issues. It can also cause an issue known as broken heart syndrome, or what we call stress-induced cardiomyopathy that looks and feels like a heart attack, heart failure, Ziffra said. And very rarely, death. When a person is frightened or believes they are in danger, the brain triggers a surge of adrenaline, the American