Heart Health And The Holiday Season

Holidays and health somehow do not mash up.  This article discusses why:

"There are likely to be two separate populations who are combining to create the Christmas effect," Knight said. One is people who are quite ill, but hang on for the holidays.

These people may be discharged from the hospital to spend the holidays with their families and are therefore farther away from advanced treatment, leaving them at a higher risk of death, Knight said.

"The evidence seems to indicate that this population is likely nearing the end of their lives, and it is quite possible that many people would prefer spending the holiday with their family over a few more weeks in a hospital," Knight said.

The second group is people who delay treatment over the holidays and end up dying from a heart attack that wouldn't have been fatal otherwise, he said.

"This group is quite different from the first group, in that if the event was nonfatal, there is a good likelihood that they would have a number of healthy and productive years of life left to enjoy," Knight said.

There are a number of other theories that may also explain the spike in deaths during the holiday season. They include stress associated with the holidays, changes in diet and drinking more alcohol, less staff at hospitals, and being away from home, he suggested.

Knight added: "It is hard to give recommendations, but the usual caveats apply about avoiding rich foods, smoking and excess alcohol. But in particular, if people are traveling, ensure that they know how to access health care services in an emergency situation. And where possible, don't delay seeking treatment if the signs of cardiac distress occur."

For those in the second group, do what you can to meet the New Year with good health, and a positive approach to lifestyle issues that Knight discusses in the article.