On Christmas Eve, the number of myocardial infarctions increases. Here’s why.
Meals that are too rich, alcohol in excess, impaired sleep: the end-of-year holiday season does not seem to be the best for your health. A study carried out by a team of Swedish researchers confirms this: an increase in the number of myocardial infarctions during the Christmas holidays has been observed. Their results were published in the British Medical Journal.
16 years of data collected
Several studies have shown that certain factors can increase the risk of myocardial infarction, such as stress for example. The scientists compared the variations in the number of myocardial infarctions during festive periods (Christmas, New Year, Easter) and during major sporting competitions such as the FIFA World Cup or the UEFA Europa League. During these, the scientists speculated that there could be emotional spikes and potentially more heart attacks. They collated data on 283,014 heart attacks over a 16-year period, with the time of first symptoms.
Later symptoms
Easter and sports competitions have no impact on the number of myocardial infarctions, but during the holiday season the risk increases by 15%, with a peak on Christmas Eve when the risk is 37%. higher. The first symptoms are normally felt as soon as you get up, or at least early in the day. During the holidays, they appear later: on Christmas Eve, the average is 10 p.m. During New Year’s Eve, the risk increases by 20%. For the researchers, these results are probably linked to excess alcohol and cold temperatures, or even lack of sleep.
More risks for the elderly
Midsummer, very popular in Sweden, celebrates the summer solstice and is also associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction. It could be due to heavy alcohol consumption. This finding is truer for men than for women. Whatever the celebration, certain individuals are more affected by this increased risk: people over 75, diabetics and those with a history of coronary artery disease.
In France, each year, 120,000 people are victims of a myocardial infarction.
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