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          o Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia
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          o Check your heart age
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          o Mental health
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          o Children and Young people
          o Info hub: Adult congenital heart disease
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          o Managing your heart failure
          o Listen to our podcast
          o Practical support
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          o Support groups and online communities
          o Support if you've given CPR
          o Taking control of your weight
          o Women with a heart condition
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          o Checking your pulse
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  * Deadly heart attacks are more common on a Monday

Deadly heart attacks are more common on a Monday

05 June 2023     Imogen Blake    

Category: Research

Serious heart attacks are more likely to happen at the start of the
working week than at any other time, according to new research
presented today at the British Cardiovascular Society (BCS)
conference in Manchester.  
[heart-atta]

Doctors at the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and the Royal
College of Surgeons in Ireland analysed data of 10,528 patients
across the island of Ireland admitted to hospital between 2013 and
2018 with the most serious type of heart attack.

This is known as an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction
(STEMI) and occurs when a major coronary artery is completely
blocked.  
 
The researchers found a spike in rates of STEMI heart attacks at the
start of the working week, with rates highest on a Monday. There were
also higher rates of STEMI than expected on a Sunday. 
 
Scientists have so far been unable to fully explain why this "Blue
Monday" phenomenon occurs. Previous studies suggesting that heart
attacks are more likely on a Monday have highlighted an association
with circadian rhythm - the body's sleep or wake cycle. 
 
There are over 30,000 hospital admissions due to STEMI each year in
the UK. It requires emergency assessment and treatment to minimise
damage to the heart, and this is normally performed with emergency
angioplasty - a procedure to re-open the blocked coronary artery.  

Cardiologist Dr Jack Laffan, who led the research at the Belfast
Health and Social Care Trust, said: "We've found a strong statistical
correlation between the start of the working week and the incidence
of STEMI. This has been described before but remains a curiosity.

"The cause is likely multifactorial, however, based on what we know
from previous studies, it is reasonable to presume a circadian
element." 

Professor Sir Nilesh Samani, our Medical Director, said: "Someone is
admitted to hospital due to a life-threatening heart attack every
five minutes in the UK, so it's vital that research continues to shed
light on how and why heart attacks happen.  
 
"This study adds to evidence around the timing of particularly
serious heart attacks, but we now need to unpick what it is about
certain days of the week that makes them more likely.  Doing so could
help doctors better understand this deadly condition so we can save
more lives in future."

LEARN MORE ABOUT HEART ATTACKS 


News archive

  * Defibrillators used in just 10 per cent of out of hospital
    cardiac arrests study shows
  * Deadly heart attacks are more common on a Monday
  * Testing for zombie cells could boost number of hearts for
    transplant
  * Virtual blood vessel technology could improve heart disease care
  * "Waiting for surgery is the hardest thing I've ever gone through"

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