+13%, the factors that expose you more to a serious heart attack according to an Irish study

On Monday, it is more common to have a serious or fatal heart attack. The beginning of the week can turn out to be a very dangerous moment, in fact, because the risk of suffering a fatal heart attack is 13% higher than expected. This is demonstrated by Irish research, conducted by doctors from the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, and just presented by the British Cardiovascular Society (BCS).

Monday, heart attacks lurking: 13% higher risk

The study analyzed data from 10,528 patients hospitalized between 2013 and 2018 with the most severe type of heart attack: a St-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEM) that occurs when a main coronary artery is completely blocked. “Researchers found a peak in STEM heart attacks at the start of the work week, with a higher incidence on Mondays», comment John Espositoprofessor of cardiology at Federico II of Naples and national president of Gise.

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«A fact that we can also find in Italy, however. In previous studies it has been shown that playing a determining role would be the circadian rhythm, which regulates the cycle of sleep and wakefulness. In fact, three important risk factors tend to come together at the beginning of the week cardiovascular closely related to circadian rhythm: lack of sleep, unbalanced schedules and stress at the start of the week. It’s about a sort of social jetlag, which increases the risk of heart attack in the most vulnerable subjects”.

On Mondays it is easy for the so-called peripheral biological clocks present in almost all organs to “bust”, Heart included. The often different lifestyle of the weekend, frequent not only in the younger ones, moreover, it can lead to an increase in blood pressure or blood sugar and lipids.

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«Reducing this risk is not that difficult: – adds Esposito – respecting the good rules of daily life, food and physical activity, taking the correct therapies at the appropriate times, and maybe take the beginning of the day and week calmly, trying to at least reduce stress».

An increase in life-threatening heart attacks makes it essential that research continues to shed light on how and why this phenomenon occurs. “This study – concludes President Gise – adds to the already numerous evidence on the timing of particularly serious heart attacks, but now we need to better understand what factors make certain days of the week more at risk. This could help clinicians implement intervention strategies and approaches that can save more lives in the future.”

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