Study finds which day of the week has the highest risk of heart attack

One day of the week is more likely to cause heart attacks, according to a study by Irish doctors. And it was not for nothing that they noted that day a sharp increase in the number of hospitalizations for cardiac arrest. But how can this be explained?

If we’re not all equal when it comes to heart attack risk, then neither are the days of the week. Indeed, the risk of a heart attack may increase on certain days of the week, according to findings from an Irish study presented at the British Cardiovascular Society (BCS) conference in Manchester.

Reportedly EchoThe study, carried out by doctors at the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and the Royal College of Surgeons, concluded that the likelihood of a heart attack on a Monday would be 13% higher compared to other days of the week.

The number of cases of myocardial infarction increased on Monday

To reach this conclusion, the researchers relied on an in-depth analysis of data from patients admitted to several Irish hospitals between 2013 and 2018. They looked at the medical records of 10,528 people, including 7,112 in Ireland and 3,416 in Northern Ireland, and specifically looked at the most severe cases of heart attack, called ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

ST-segment elevation myocardial infarctions are often associated with acute complete occlusion of a coronary artery, indicating a critical blockage of blood flow to part of the heart muscle. These cases of heart attacks are considered particularly serious and can lead to serious complications, often requiring emergency medical attention.

“We found a strong statistical correlation between the start of the workweek and the incidence of STEMI.”explained Science Alert cardiologist Jack Laffan, who led the study. “This phenomenon has already been described, but remains a curiosity.”, he also pointed out. Attendance on Sundays was also higher than usual. On the other hand, researchers don’t consider them to be as significant as Monday from a statistical point of view.

Why do heart attacks increase on Mondays?

According to the study authors, this increase in the number of heart attacks on the first day of the week can be explained by several factors.

Stress: Monday for many people often means returning to work after the weekend. Returning to work can be associated with increased levels of stress and anxiety, especially for people with important tasks or responsibilities. Gold, “Increased stress, which leads to higher cortisol levels, is associated with a higher risk of heart attack.”– Jack Laffan clarified.

Changes in lifestyle habits: Sleeping, eating and activity habits may change on weekends compared to weekdays. Thus there is circadian rhythm disorder (or biological rhythm). “Based on what we know from previous studies, it is reasonable to assume that there is a circadian element,” confirmed Jack Laffan. Indeed, people may tend to stay up later, drink more alcohol, or eat differently on weekends, which can affect cardiovascular health.

Lag effect: Some stressful or disruptive events that happen over the weekend may not immediately affect your heart health, but may have an impact later, including on Monday.
Resuming physical activity. For some people, returning to work on Monday may also mean returning to higher levels of physical activity, which may increase the risk of a heart attack in those with little experience of this level of activity.

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