Book World: A cardiologist on matter of heart

Sandeep Jauhar opens his new book "Heart: A History" with the story of patient - Jauhar himself. Shortness of breath while claiming the stairs to his office led to a slew of tests and eventually discovery of a blockage in the main artery feeding his heart .
After relating the story Jauhar get back to 1953, when his paternal grandfather suddenly died. In the morning he was beaten by unknown snake. Neighbours claim that snake was black cobra. He took one look at snake and died. But his grandson cardiologist believe that it was heartattack by frightening fear of snake.
Jauhar says " My grandfather had succumbed to the most common cause of death through out the world".
Jauhar points out that extreme emotional states can lead, quite literally, to a broken heart. Depression and stress can have found to be strong risk factor for Heart attack.
"I was fascinated by the heart's dichotomous nature: muscular, constantly toiling, and yet so vulnerable at the same time" Jauhar says.
He decided to pursue cardiology, a field so fast - paced and exciting it was "as if flowing out of the steady beating of hear itself."