Named the day of the week when people are most likely to have a heart attack
Research has shown that the most serious type of heart attack is most likely to occur on a certain day of the week.According to a study presented at the British Heart and Vascular Society conference, the most life-threatening type of heart attack is more likely to occur on Monday than any other day of the week. We are talking about myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation.
ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI, transmural myocardial infarction) is cardiomyocyte necrosis accompanied by persistent ST-segment elevation on ECG, which does not disappear after taking nitroglycerin. In this condition, troponin I or troponin T and creatine kinase are elevated.
This type of heart attack occurs when a major artery supplying blood to the heart muscle is completely blocked by plaque or a clot. This causes the heart muscle to die. As a result, the heart cannot effectively pump blood throughout the body.
Researchers from the Belfast Health and Welfare Trust and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland analyzed data from 10,528 patients throughout Ireland who were hospitalized with BMSCT between 2013 and 2018.
It turned out that STEMI rates were highest on Monday and that STEMI rates, and those that occurred on Sunday, were also higher than expected.
"We found a strong statistical correlation between the beginning of the work week and the frequency of STEMI," said Jack Laffan, who led the study at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.
The researchers believe the situation has something to do with the body's circadian rhythms -- the physical, mental and behavioral changes that "align" behind the body's 24-hour cycle. Circadian rhythms regulate sleep and eating patterns, hormone levels and body temperature. The new study underscores how important it is to maintain a daily routine, including weekends.
"The cause is probably multifactorial, but based on what we know from previous studies, it is reasonable to assume a circadian element," the scientists conclude.