Eat Drink and be Merry?
We think of the holidays as time of goodwill and cheer. Busy times to be sure, but even if it is in our idealized childhood memories, we think of Christmas as a time of mirth and miracles.
But studies show that during the holidays - Christmas and New Year’s - there is a spike in daily mortality, occuring from both cardiac and non-cardiac disease. But separate studies have shown that December and January are the two most likely months for death from cardiac events.
What about Christmas and New Year’s make them so risky for cardiac death? One might think it correlates to cooler temperatures or perhaps snow shoveling. But a study done by the Heart Institute of Good Samaritan Hospital in North Carolina found that the risk of cardiac death was greatest in December and January even in temperate climates, such as that of Los Angeles County, CA.
The most likely reason is that people overindulge during the holidays, are under more stress, busy with multiple tasks and less likely to pay attention to important warning symptoms or fail to seek medical help in time.
Warning symptoms include:
* Pressure or crushing pain in your chest, sometimes with sweating, nausea or vomiting
* Pain that extends from your chest into the jaw, left arm or left shoulder.
* Tightness in your chest
* Shortness of breath for more than a couple of seconds
If you experience any of the symptoms of heart attack, do not delay - call emergency personnel immediately. When they arrive or when you arrive at the hospital, do not offer explanations of heartburn or any other possible reason for your symptoms even if you suspect something else may be the cause. Say: “I think I am having a heart attack”. Do nothing to delay important diagnostic and possibly life-saving treatment.
Information regarding the studies referenced above can be found at:
