Mondays are still considered the most melancholic and depressing day of the week for many on the planet. Even the ephemeris of the Blue Monday, which is celebrated every third Monday in January and which is qualified, without any scientific evidence, as the saddest day of the year. On the other hand, the commemorative date also refers to the title of the sentimental eighties song by the British musical group New Order.
However, apart from that, Mondays are also “dangerous”as fatal heart attacks are more likely to occur at the start of the work week than at any other time, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland.
“We have found a strong statistical correlation between the start of the work week and the incidence of segment elevation myocardial infarctions (STEMI). This has already been described before, but it remains a curiosity. The cause is likely multifactorial; however, based on what we know from previous studies, it is reasonable to assume a circadian element,” said the cardiologist. jack laffanresponsible for the investigation, to the Europa Press agency.
In the analysis, presented at the congress of the British Cardiovascular Society held in Manchester, specialists analyzed data from 10,528 patients from across the island of Ireland, admitted to hospital between 2013 and 2018, with the most severe type of heart attack, known as ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).
STEMI occurs when a major coronary artery is completely blocked. To save the patient’s life, emergency evaluation and treatment is required to minimize damage to the heart, and is usually done by emergency angioplasty, a procedure to reopen a blocked coronary artery.
The researchers found a spike in STEMI heart attack rates at the beginning of the work week, with higher rates on Mondays. Higher-than-expected rates were also recorded on Sundays. To date, scientists have not been able to explain why this phenomenon occurs. Previous studies suggest that heart attacks are more likely on Mondays, and have highlighted an association with the circadian rhythm, that is, the sleep cycle.
“This study adds to the evidence about when especially severe heart attacks occur, but now we need to unravel what it is about certain days of the week that make them more likely. This could help doctors to better understand this deadly disease in order to save more lives in the future”, the researcher remarked.
The medical director of the British Heart Foundation, Nilesh Samanirecalled that in countries like United Kingdom Every five minutes someone is admitted to hospital with a life-threatening heart attack, so “it is vital that research continues to shed light on how and why heart attacks occur.”
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