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Cardiovascular
Millions of football fans will gather to cheer on their favorite teams for Sunday’s big game, and with the excitement of this highly anticipated sporting event comes advice for spectators to keep their heart safe.
Dr. Satyajit Reddy, a sports cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic, said while players on the field do face some risk from a medical standpoint, some research suggests fans attending big games may be at increased risk of cardiac emergencies.
“Research has shown that major sporting events such as soccer and American football tend to be associated with increased rates of cardiac events such as arrhythmias, heart failure and heart attacks. What’s even more interesting is that the more dramatic the match, the higher the incidence of cardiac events,” Dr Reddy said.
Watch: Dr. Satyajit Reddy talks about cardiac safety during sporting events
Journalists: A broadcast-quality sound bite of Dr. Satyajit Reddy is available for download at the end of the post. Source: “Mayo Clinic News Network.” Name Super/CG: Satyajit Reddy, MD/Cardiovascular Medicine/Mayo Clinic.
For example, the incidence of heart attacks increases as a match nears the end.
Risk factor
Those at highest risk of suffering a heart attack during a match are those with traditional risk factors for heart disease or a history of heart disease.
“They may have risk factors for heart disease such as high blood pressure, diabetes or pre-diabetes, or high cholesterol, and may not be seeing their primary care physician regularly,” he says.
Cardiac Safety Tips
Sports viewing parties can lead to excessive celebrations, coupled with excessive consumption of alcohol, tobacco, and salty and fatty foods. These factors, combined with emotional stress, can lead to holiday heart, an irregular heartbeat common during the holiday season. This arrhythmia can lead to an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation.
Here are three tips to help you stay heart healthy while enjoying the big game.
- Avoid tobacco use.
- Avoid alcohol.
- Eat healthily.
“Foods that are high in salt, oil and sugar can definitely build up for more than three hours. Also, if you have high blood pressure or cardiac risk factors, it can put strain on your heart and lead to cardiac problems,” says Dr Reddy.
Be careful of stress.
“If you find yourself feeling anxious or stressed while watching the games, it’s important to know how to relax and manage your anxiety and stress,” he says. “Also, sports betting has become popular recently, but avoid it as it will only add to your stress.”
Dr. Reddy says to celebrate health and practice heart safety.
“Enjoy the game but do it responsibly,” he added.
If you or a companion is experiencing symptoms of a heart attack, call 911 immediately.
Symptoms of a Heart Attack
Common symptoms include:
- Chest pain that feels like pressure, tightness, aching, squeezing, or aching.
- The pain or discomfort may radiate to the shoulders, arms, back, neck, jaw, teeth, and sometimes the upper abdomen.
- cold sweat.
- Malaise.
- Heartburn or indigestion.
- Lightheadedness or sudden dizziness.
- nausea.
- shortness of breath.
Symptoms of a heart attack can be different for men and women. Women may experience atypical symptoms, such as a brief or sharp pain in the neck, arms, or back.
