Doctors at emergency rooms around the world are getting ready for the onslaught of heart attacks and other heart-related maladies. Who’s to blame? The World Cup!
The British Heart Foundation posted on their website a series of easy-to-follow tips that will help you keep your heart healthy. Some of the tips are watching the matches with friends and family, staying below the maximum recommended alcohol units (ahem!), or giving up smoking.
The Brazilian Cardiology Society is going to carry out a study, in the form of a survey, in the emergency rooms of several hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Porto Alegre, Belo Horizonte and Salvador in order to determine how dramatic tension can affect the health of spectators. The aim of this study is to evaluate cases of myocardial infarction, angina, arrhythmia and strokes to see a correlation with the matches played by Brazil.
An article on cardiovascular events in The New England Journal of Medicine refers to a study conducted during the 2006 World Cup in Germany examined the relation between emotional stress and the incidence of cardiovascular events. The authors concluded that “viewing a stressful soccer match more than doubles the risk of an acute cardiovascular event. In view of this excess risk, particularly in men with known coronary heart disease, preventive measures are urgently needed.”
Argentinean psychiatrist Jose Bonet, from Fundacion Favaloro, says that soccer in that country has social and emotional implications that become more marked during the World Cup. Matches become a risk factor, especially when the result impinges upon a person’s well-being. Dr. Bonet recommends using relaxation techniques before the matches and avoiding too much alcohol, greasy food and cigarettes.
Whatever your team’s result, remember: your health comes first.
Read more:
Join Brazil’s big yellow and green world cup celebrations
Swim between the flags in New Zealand
Passion and nostalgia in Buenos Aires
Crikey. I’d never thought of this, but it makes sense. I’m not a big football fan but even I get quite involved in football matches when I watch them. Very interesting post!
Thanks Liz. All I know is that my heart beats a hell of a lot faster during WC matches too!
Ana, in fact, my father is Italian, so some years ago there was a game Italy x S.Korea. My father was watching it, and had a heart attack as Italy lost 2×1 for Korea, which is not what we would naturally expect! So, yes, our hearts health can be an issue during the world cup!
Congrats for your victory today. Messi is totally awesome.
Thanks Carla. I hope your dad is OK now.
Sorry to hear about that Carla. I hope your dad recovered ok.