2023-12-26 15:25:38
The last week of the year gives way to festivities. But unfortunately, this period is also synonymous with an increase in myocardial infarctions. Stress, diet, fatigue, so many risk factors that accumulate.
On the evening of December 24, the president of the priestly council suffered a heart attack at the Voujeaucourt temple (Doubs). He was saved thanks to a midwife and a police officer, who provided him with first aid while waiting for the firefighters to arrive. The organist was admitted to intensive care and his days are not numbered.
This local example is not an isolated case. The Christmas period is often a joyful time, but sometimes the celebration is spoiled by a sad event. According to’American Heart Associationthis end-of-year period is sadly known for being the time of year when the most people die from cardiac arrest.
Indeed, it seems that December 25, January 26 and January 1 are the most “prone” days for cardiac arrest. Although this increase is not major, it still remains significant. “The guards in the emergency room on December 24, 25, 31 and January 1, it’s horrible“, says Claire Mounier-Vehier, cardiologist and founder ofActing for the hearts of women.
According to her, there is an explanation for this. “You are with family and there is often a mental burden on the family, we sleep less and we accumulate a sleep debt. Without forgetting the consumption of alcohol and the very high consumption of salt during the holidays. You should know that during a meal, between seafood, salmon and foie gras, you can consume up to 10 g of salt. While the recommendation is 5-6 g per day, insists the cardiologist.
All this stress accumulated over the end of the year and the fact that it’s a little colder, for people with heart disease or high blood pressure, it’s a bad combo. All this will activate the sympathetic system and in someone who has atherosclerotic plaques, this leads to a rupture of the plaques and causes a heart attack.
Claire Mounier-Vehier,
cardiologist and founder of Agir pour le coeur des femmes
In short, an accumulation of factors which increases the risk of a fatal cardiovascular accident. To put it simply, even if this period is meant to be joyful, it causes stress and a change in habits. On the other hand, this increased risk of myocardial infarction at Christmas time does not really concern the entire population. It is especially high among the elderly and those who already have coronary heart disease, for example.
The symptoms are different in men and women, but it is very important to know how to recognize them.
In humans:
- Discomfort or tingling in the arms, shoulders, back, neck or jaw,
- Chest pain,
- Shortness of breath
Know how to recognize the symptoms of myocardial infarction to receive rapid and optimal treatment. • © Acting for the hearts of women
In women:
- Sudden dizziness,
- Feeling of heartburn,
- Nausea or vomiting,
- Cold sweat,
- Unusual fatigue.
Very often, because we are far from where we live, or, during the Christmas period, to avoid spoiling the celebration, people who have suffered a cardiac arrest tend to wait before consulting. “You should not tell yourself that, because you are far away, you will wait to talk to your doctor and you should not wait until the last moment. It is also necessary to do a preventive check-up when you reach the age of 50, especially if there is family heredity. You take your treatment with you and listen to your symptoms!” declares the cardiologist. You should therefore not hesitate to call Samu (15) for rapid assistance.
Claire Mounier-Vehier’s good advice is therefore to eat moderately, and if you have a heart condition, to limit your salt load. “We take a nap, we go green between meals, we avoid sensitive family topics and call as soon as there are symptoms” she adds.
The founder of the Agir pour le coeur des femmes association insists on cardiac massage. “When we see someone feeling unwell, we don’t ask questions, we massage. Although we don’t know if it’s a cardiac arrest, it’s okay to massage a beating heart. It saves lives“, insists the one who saved her father’s life at the end of November, thanks to cardiac massage.
It is important to know that in the event of a myocardial infarction, brain damage is likely if the cardiac arrest lasts more than five minutes without first aid intervention such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Death is likely if the cardiac arrest lasts more than eight minutes. Therefore, CPR in the event of cardiac arrest must begin as quickly as possible.
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