Upcoming holidays may be dangerous for your heart

Just when I polished off all the Thanksgiving treats to make room for Christmas cookies and eggnog, the American Heart Association warns us that what we eat, drink, and do in the next few weeks might be detrimental to our heart health.

“The winter holidays can turn deadly as research shows that more people die from heart attacks during the last week of December than at any other time of the year,” the AHA says. They tell us that a study published in AMA’s newsletter, Circulation, reported that more cardiac deaths occur in the U.S. on Dec. 25 than on any other day of the year. That’s followed closely by Dec. 26 and Jan. 1.

An article published at everydayhealth.com says, “There are probably many different reasons why heart attacks spike over the holidays. It’s a time of year when many of us abandon our healthy habits, drink more heavily, and willingly overindulge in rich foods. At the same time, you may encounter extra stress from traveling, stretching your budget, or spending time with extended family.”

An old adage says, “it’s not what you eat between Christmas and New Year’s, it’s what you eat between New Year’s and Christmas” that’s bad for you. So, one might think that it gives them carte blanche to go hog wild, so to speak. Although I won’t tell you not to eat holiday treats, I will encourage you to be a little judicious in your food and drink choices and the quantities thereof.

“Alcohol is one of the major contributors to holiday heart attack risk. Excessive alcohol intake may contribute to inflammation and dyslipidemia, making coronary artery disease worse. Repeated episodes of binge drinking may contribute to inflammation, stiffness of the arteries, and increase blood pressure, thereby increasing heart attack,” everyday health.com says.

Heavy drinking not only raises your heart attack risk, it also can cause a condition called holiday heart syndrome which is a form of atrial fibrillation. That’s a subject for another day, but you can look it up.

The AHA quotes Robert Ostfeld, MD, director of preventive cardiology at Montefiore Einstein regarding eating rich and salty food. He says that “eating more processed meats, ‘junk foods,’ and treats, and fewer fruits vegetables, and whole grains set you up for heart trouble, increasing your risk of heart attack.”

And he also says that “just one huge meal can trigger a cardiac event, if you’re already at risk. Heart health emergencies often happen within an hour of a heavy meal, and a single high-fat meal causes cardiovascular health changes within just a few hours, spiking inflammation and destabilizing fatty plaque deposits.”

Matthew Fanous, MD, is a cardiologist at White Plains Hospital in New York. He says that a critical factor is that people ignore warning signs of heart attack or stroke.

“While you may not want to spend the holidays in a doctor’s office or hospital, getting evaluated and receiving prompt treatment if there is a problem is one of the best gifts you can give yourself and your loved ones for all the celebrations to come.”

He emphasizes the importance of knowing the symptoms of both heart attack and stroke. He says that everyone should know hands-only CPR (there’s a video at heart.org) and celebrate in moderation. If you or a loved one show signs of a heart attack call 911, do not drive to the emergency department which is, as you know, open 24 hours every day.

Dr. Ostfeld acknowledges that the holidays can be stressful. He recommends that people make sure they get enough sleep and get enough physical exercise. He also says to make sure you take along your prescription medications and sleep apnea devices when you travel. Forgetting these things can increase your heart risk.

And finally, you should know that cold weather can increase the possibility of heart troubles. It can lead to the arteries narrowing and blood not flowing as well as it does when the weather is warmer.

“When the body is exposed to cold, blood pressure, heart rate, and red blood cell concentration can increase. These can then add to the chances of experiencing a heart attack. Additionally, outdoor exercise, like shoveling snow, may add to how much work the heart has to do, further adding to risk,” everydayhealth.com says.

Kathy Hubbard was a charter member of Bonner General Health Foundation. She can be reached at [email protected].