HEALTH

Heart attacks, more likely to hit you on a Monday: a study explains why

Regardless, no average adult likes Mondays, but what if we told you that the first day of the week is also the time when the risk of having a heart attack is statistically highest? You would probably like it even less, and with good reason.

A study conducted by doctors from the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, and presented a few days ago at the British Cardiovascular Society (BCS) conference in Manchester, looked at over 10,000 British patients between 2013 and 2018, and compared the data.

The results were that indeed between Sunday and Monday the risk of heart attack increases, although they were unable to really explain why this happens. At most, various hypotheses were put forward about the influence of the circadian rhythm over the weekend.

Freepik
Monday is more likely to have a heart attack: study
Regardless, no average adult likes Mondays, but what if we told you that the first day of the week is also the time when the risk of having a heart attack is statistically highest? You would probably like it even less, and with good reason.
Freepik
Monday is more likely to have a heart attack: study
A study conducted by doctors from the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, and presented a few days ago at the British Cardiovascular Society (BCS) conference in Manchester, looked at more than 10,000 UK patients suffering from ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), which occurs when a major coronary artery is completely blocked, between 2013 and 2018, and compared the data.
Freepik
Monday is more likely to have a heart attack: study
The results were that indeed between Sunday and Monday the risk of heart attack increases, although it was not possible to really explain why this happens. At most, various hypotheses were put forward about the influence of the circadian rhythm over the weekend.
Freepik
Monday is more likely to have a heart attack: study
The observed result shows a huge increase in the rates of STEMI (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction) heart attacks at the beginning of the working week, with a greater magnitude on Sunday, but even more so on Monday.
Freepik
Monday is more likely to have a heart attack: study
In the words of Jack Laffan, the cardiologist who led the research: 'We found a strong statistical correlation between the start of the working week and the incidence of STEMI. It has been described before, and the cause is probably multifactorial. However, based on what we know from previous studies, it is reasonable to assume the presence of a circadian element', i.e. occurring roughly every 24 hours, by which certain physiological processes are regularly repeated.
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