Holidays Bring on Heart Attacks
By: Sydney Hart, KARK 4 News
Updated: December 13, 2007
Before you give up your workout regimen or stuff yourself with holiday goodies Doctors say December and January are the deadliest months for heart disease.And there are things you can do to avoid symptoms of what some refer to as heart attack season.
Tis the season to eat, shop and be merry, but that's not all.
"There's even an increase in the incident of heart attacks around the time of the holidays, mainly Christmas and New Year. Usually there are two peaks. That's usually the day after Christmas and the day after New Year" explains Dr. Georges Chahoud with UAMS.
Dr. Chahoud says there are many reasons for the holiday spike.
Such as, it's hard to resist those holiday goodies, especially the rich and fatty favorites.
And then of course all the shopping and running around and doctors hear from their patients that they're just too busy to exercise.
Add that to traveling, over-spending and the stress of the holidays can take a toll on your health.
Too much alcohol makes your heart pump harder than usual.
And doctors warn if you feel funny don't ignore what your body is telling you.
"A lot may get the impression I'm just having some indigestion, it's not really heart problems, so we'll just forget about it," adds Dr. Chahoud.
Doctors say most people know the more common signs of a heart attack such as tightening in your chest, tingling in the arm, neck pain and shortness of breath, but add don't ignore the subtle hints.
Dr. Chahoud says even a burning sensation or pressure in your chest could be signs of a heart attack, so doctors say it's better to be safe than sorry.
