Irish doctors have confirmed that Monday is the most dangerous day of the week for cardiovascular patients. They analyzed data from 10,528 patients hospitalized between 2013 and 2018 with the most serious type of myocardial infarction — STEMI, which occurs due to a complete blockage of a coronary artery.
The study found that the highest number of STEMI cases occurred at the beginning of the workweek. There was also an increased incidence of heart attacks on Sunday.
Cardiologists remind that every year in the UK there are more than 30,000 hospitalizations with STEMI. In such cases, patients undergo emergency angioplasty to restore blood circulation in the heart and reduce the risk of serious consequences.
Scientists don't yet have a definitive explanation for this phenomenon. Researchers have previously hypothesized that circadian rhythms—the biological cycles of sleep and wakefulness—may be involved. Stress, schedule changes, and the start of the workweek may also be factors.
Lead researcher Dr Jack Laffan said:
“We found a strong statistical correlation between the start of the workweek and STEMI. This confirms previous data, but the cause is likely multifactorial. It is important to understand what makes these days more dangerous.”
Doctors say this study is further confirmation of the link between the time of day and the risk of heart attacks. Now the task of scientists is to determine the exact mechanisms of this phenomenon in order to better predict and prevent heart attacks.
