Overeating during the New Year holidays increases the risk of heart attacks.
During the New Year and Christmas holidays, the risk of heart attacks sharply increases, medical professionals warn. According to the American Medical Response emergency service, the number of cardiology calls rises by about 30 percent on Christmas Eve, and research from the American Heart Association shows that the highest number of heart attack deaths occurs in the last week of December, peaking on December 26 and January 1. The work is published in Circulation.
Experts link this increase to several factors. Among them are overeating and excess salt, alcohol consumption, emotional stress, cold weather that forces the heart to work harder, and delaying medical help due to family gatherings. Doctors note that many ignore alarming symptoms, not wanting to "ruin the holiday."
Classic signs of a heart attack may not be obvious: in addition to pain or pressure in the chest, they include shortness of breath, discomfort in the arms, back, neck, or jaw, cold sweat, nausea, dizziness, and sudden fatigue. Specialists emphasize that when such symptoms appear, every minute counts, and waiting for improvement can cost lives.
Medical professionals advise maintaining moderation in food and alcohol during the holidays, remembering to take prescribed medications, and avoiding sudden exertion in the cold. They also note the protective effect of positive emotions: laughter and joy can improve blood flow and reduce the load on the heart—provided that the body's warning signals are not ignored.
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