It is the most wonderful time of the year, but it is also the most stressful.
Cardiologists at Norton Heart and Vascular Institute say from Thanksgiving to the new year, there is about a 5% uptick in heart attacks and heart-related ER visits. In some cases, just between Christmas and New Year’s Day, that can jump to 15%.
Many believe it is caused by a combination of things: holiday stress, overindulging in food and alcohol, and colder temperatures.
Doctors say the most important thing is if you start to feel symptoms, don’t ignore them. Early signs of a heart attack happen in more than 50% of people who eventually have one.
Dr Mohammad F. Mathbout said call 911 if you are having acute symptoms, you are feeling short of breath, you are having chest pain or if you are having more swelling in your legs than usual. If you are unable to lay flat on your back or you are getting short-winded, this is something your doctor needs to know about. And if it is difficult to reach you doctor during the holidays, call 911 and go to the hospital. These symptoms need to be addressed sooner as opposed to later.
Experts also believe a week or two of celebrations doesn’t equal a sudden heart attack. More than likely, heart disease has been developing for a while. It is a good idea to have regular health checkups.
Source: WAVE
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