TY - JOUR
T1 - Christmas holiday triggers of myocardial infarction
AU - Olsson, Anneli
AU - Thorén, Ida
AU - Mohammad, Moman A.
AU - Rylance, Rebecca
AU - Platonov, Pyotr G.
AU - Sparv, David
AU - Erlinge, David
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Objectives: Christmas holidays have been associated with the highest incidence of myocardial infarction (MI). We wanted to assess possible triggers of MI during Christmas. Design: A nationwide, retrospective postal survey with case-control design. All individuals suffering an MI during the Christmas holidays 2018 and 2019 in Sweden were identified through the SWEDEHEART registry and a control group matched in age and gender with chronic coronary syndrome who did not seek medical attention during Christmas were asked for participation. Subjects completed a questionnaire asking them to rate 27 potential MI-triggers as having occurred more or less than usual. Results: A total of 189 patients suffering an MI on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or Boxing Day, and 157 patients in the control group responded to the questionnaire, representing response rates of 66% and 62%, respectively. Patients with MI on Christmas experienced more stress (37% vs. 21%, p =.002), depression (21% vs. 11%, p =.024), and worry (26% vs. 10%, p <.001) compared to the control group. The food and sweets consumption was increased in both groups, but to a greater extent in the control group (33% vs. 50%, p =.002 and 32% vs. 43%, p =.031). There were no increases in quarrels, anger, economic worries, or reduced compliance with medication. Conclusions: Patients suffering MI on Christmas holiday experienced higher levels of stress and emotional distress compared to patients with chronic coronary syndrome, possibly contributing to the phenomenon of holiday heart attack. Understanding what factors increase the number of MI on Christmas may help reduce the excess number of MIs and cardiovascular burden.
AB - Objectives: Christmas holidays have been associated with the highest incidence of myocardial infarction (MI). We wanted to assess possible triggers of MI during Christmas. Design: A nationwide, retrospective postal survey with case-control design. All individuals suffering an MI during the Christmas holidays 2018 and 2019 in Sweden were identified through the SWEDEHEART registry and a control group matched in age and gender with chronic coronary syndrome who did not seek medical attention during Christmas were asked for participation. Subjects completed a questionnaire asking them to rate 27 potential MI-triggers as having occurred more or less than usual. Results: A total of 189 patients suffering an MI on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or Boxing Day, and 157 patients in the control group responded to the questionnaire, representing response rates of 66% and 62%, respectively. Patients with MI on Christmas experienced more stress (37% vs. 21%, p =.002), depression (21% vs. 11%, p =.024), and worry (26% vs. 10%, p <.001) compared to the control group. The food and sweets consumption was increased in both groups, but to a greater extent in the control group (33% vs. 50%, p =.002 and 32% vs. 43%, p =.031). There were no increases in quarrels, anger, economic worries, or reduced compliance with medication. Conclusions: Patients suffering MI on Christmas holiday experienced higher levels of stress and emotional distress compared to patients with chronic coronary syndrome, possibly contributing to the phenomenon of holiday heart attack. Understanding what factors increase the number of MI on Christmas may help reduce the excess number of MIs and cardiovascular burden.
KW - Christmas
KW - Myocardial infarction
KW - trigger
U2 - 10.1080/14017431.2021.1983638
DO - 10.1080/14017431.2021.1983638
M3 - Article
C2 - 34585998
AN - SCOPUS:85116015025
SN - 1401-7431
VL - 55
SP - 340
EP - 344
JO - Scandinavian Cardiovascular Journal
JF - Scandinavian Cardiovascular Journal
IS - 6
ER -