Heart attacks and Mondays...........

[petrushka.googol]

I had read an abstract that most heart attacks occur on Mondays. Is this a universal paradigm ?

 

After all Sabbath for Christians is not the universal norm ?

 

Or is this a statistical anomaly ?

[Prometheus]

It could just be an artefact of how the data is collected - for instance more people than you'd believe sit at home after a heart attack and only seek help after the weekend (having a heart attack isn't always obvious), if these events which actually occurred on the weekend are counted as having occurred on Monday then we have a source of bias. It's conceivable that it's a real affect though - can you point us to the data?

[Strange]

It might be the stress of returning to work. Or the result of overindulgence at the weekend.

 

This page says "There is some evidence that in the Middle East the peak incidence of heart attacks is on Fridays, and in Japan it is during the weekend." but they don't give a source.

http://myheart.net/articles/predict-heart-attack/

can you point us to the data?

 

Here is one paper: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16080587

[petrushka.googol]

Here is my own theory.....

 

During the week our systems are awash with our own catecholamines viz.adrenalin due to work stress. However physical activity tends to break them down resulting in less harmful impact. On Sundays we indulge in binge eating, alcoholism and sedentary activity. This builds up the levels of catecholamines and on Monday early morning, post REM sleep our bodies are kick started into action.

 

This is the point of vulnerability....

[Lyudmilascience]

I heard that too in Russia so yea I think it is universal. if more then one countries study shows those results most other countries should have the same results because then the results are based on the human race rather then a specific culture.

[Prometheus]

 

Here is one paper: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16080587

 

At first glance of this meta-analysis the effect certainly looks real. Looking into it a little and some of the studies could have suffered from a reporting bias (i.e. some weekend cardiac events recorded as monday events as this is when patients present). Not enough info on the individual studies to be sure. Here's the full text.

 

I also found this meta-analysis which seems a bit better (they consider potential reporting bias and also publication bias). They find a much smaller effect than the previous meta-analysis, but it's still a significant difference.

[DrP]

I agree with all the speculation regarding work stresses and binge come downs but it could also be a slight artefact of not being missed until they are due for work. For example, someone dies late on Sunday and he live alone, he wont be missed until Monday morning when he fails to show up for work. Maybe those deaths are recorded as 'died on Monday'?

[petrushka.googol]

I heard that too in Russia so yea I think it is universal. if more then one countries study shows those results most other countries should have the same results because then the results are based on the human race rather then a specific culture.

 

As I have stated the effect is driven by biochemical changes rather than individual traits. (although I guess risk factors like obesity tip the scale adversely.).

[Prometheus]

 

As I have stated the effect is driven by biochemical changes rather than individual traits. (although I guess risk factors like obesity tip the scale adversely.).

 

No, that is what you state is the cause. Some of us still question whether there is actually a real effect at all, and even if there is, no-one in the given literature thus far has been able to say what causes the increased incidence.

 

What does 'biochemical changes rather than individual traits' actually mean? A biochemical change could be an individual trait.

[DrP]

I agree with post 9... That sounded too much like a statement of fact, whereas I believe it was your idea or belief that this is how it happens and not demonstrably provable. as such.

[petrushka.googol]

I heard that too in Russia so yea I think it is universal. if more then one countries study shows those results most other countries should have the same results because then the results are based on the human race rather then a specific culture.

 

Judging from nutritional data and eating habits I guess culture does affect the path to failure rather than failure itself.

Mam since you hail from Russia I guess caviar and vodka would be the prime culprits. Do you agree ?

[Lyudmilascience]

well I know that alcohol does increases your heart rate and heavy drinking weakens the heart muscle,they do drink a lot in Russia though.I was born in Russia but moved to america as a kid. I live in america now I am in college and I don't drink at all. I had a very bad reaction to alcohol the first time i tried it. i might be allergic to it or have some kind of very strong intolerance and sensitivity. yes I agree that eating patterns does effect it but so does hereditary traits, atmosphere ,lifestyle, like exercise and plenty of other things and I wonder if you try to calculate all of the effects and variables that effect this it might even somethings out. I dont know for sure. I don't think there has been such elaborate tests.