Can watching NHL playoffs give you a heart attack? What the science says

Because the NHL playoffs warmth up and three Canadian groups chase the Stanley Cup, followers throughout the nation are driving an emotional roller-coaster — screaming at their televisions, biting their nails and in some circumstances, clutching their chests.

However may the stress of playoff hockey be doing extra than simply fraying nerves? Might it really be harming hearts? Research and specialists counsel it simply may — particularly for followers with current coronary heart situations.

“It most undoubtedly can occur. It’s uncommon, nevertheless it nonetheless occurs. For people who find themselves wholesome, this isn’t prone to be a difficulty in any respect,” stated Scott Lear, a professor of well being sciences at Simon Fraser College.

“However any individual is worked up watching a sporting occasion, it may be a case the place they’re so personally invested, their coronary heart charge and blood stress go up … and individuals who might not have good coronary heart well being or these recognized with coronary heart illness, this may be problematic.”

He says he as soon as handled a affected person who couldn’t watch Vancouver Canucks video games anymore — the stress was so intense, it triggered chest ache.

This sort of emotional funding might have performed out vividly on Sunday night, because the Winnipeg Jets trailed the St. Louis Blues by two objectives heading into the third interval. Then, in a shocking flip, they scored twice — as soon as with simply 1.6 seconds left — to pressure additional time. Winnipeg erupted; St. Louis deflated.

And now that the PWHL playoffs are kicking off Wednesday night, it provides one other probability for followers to tackle the emotional rollercoaster.

Whether or not your staff wins or loses, there’s no denying it: playoff video games can create an emotional and physiological roller-coaster for followers on either side.

Lear identified that, whereas it’s unusual, a die-hard fan with underlying well being issues who’s yelling on the tv, ingesting beer and munching on chips may very well be setting themselves up for a coronary heart assault.

Coronary heart illness is the main reason for loss of life in Canada, in line with the Coronary heart and Stroke Basis. And it’s brought on by a wide range of causes reminiscent of hypertension, excessive ldl cholesterol, unhealthy food regimen, age, smoking and ingesting.

However feelings and psychological stress have additionally been linked to serious heart issues, together with coronary heart assaults, irregular heartbeats and even sudden cardiac loss of life.

Studies have shown that watching intense sports activities video games like soccer, rugby, baseball and hockey can improve the chance of coronary heart issues, from chest ache and heart attacks to cardiac arrest. Add in a few of the habits that usually include sport day — like heavy drinking, greasy meals and smoking — and the chance goes up much more, particularly for followers who have already got coronary heart situations.

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“It’s a factor. Watching the playoffs is a psychological stress, and these stresses will be excessive, however every particular person is totally different,” stated Dr. Paul Dorian, a professor of medication and cardiology at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto.

For instance, in 2013, a Chicago Blackhawks fan had a heart attack whereas watching Recreation 3 of the Stanley Cup closing towards the Boston Bruins.

During the 2018 World Cup match between England and Colombia, some followers’ Apple Watches reportedly flagged dangerously excessive coronary heart charges.

A rising physique of analysis means that watching high-stakes sports activities isn’t simply thrilling — it may be arduous on the guts.

One 2015 examine within the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology tracked heart-related hospital visits in New Zealand throughout Rugby World Cup tournaments. Win or lose, admissions jumped through the video games. However after a loss by the All Blacks — New Zealand’s nationwide rugby staff — hospital admissions, particularly for coronary heart failure, have been 50 per cent increased. After a win, they tended to drop.

In 2020, researchers writing in Cardiology pointed to the same sample amongst die-hard soccer, rugby, soccer and baseball followers. They discovered that emotionally invested spectators, particularly these with a historical past of coronary artery illness, face an elevated threat of cardiac occasions throughout main video games.

Data from 2017 confirmed simply how reactive followers’ our bodies will be. When researchers monitored Montreal Canadiens supporters, they discovered coronary heart charges doubled throughout video games. The impact was much more intense for these attending in particular person, although viewers at house additionally skilled coronary heart charge spikes just like what you’d see throughout reasonable bodily exercise.

“The examine raises the potential that the emotional stress-induced response of viewing a hockey sport can set off adversarial cardiovascular occasions on a inhabitants stage. Subsequently, the outcomes have essential public well being implications,” senior investigator Prof. Paul Khair from the Montreal Coronary heart Institute stated in an accompanying press release.

“Our evaluation of components of the hockey sport related to peak coronary heart charges helps the notion that it isn’t the end result of the sport that primarily determines the depth of the emotional stress response, however fairly the joy skilled with viewing high-stakes or high-intensity parts of the sport,” he stated.

Then, in 2018, one other examine centered on what occurs after the ultimate buzzer. Printed within the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, it discovered an increase in coronary heart assaults amongst males beneath 55 the day after a Canadiens win.

And through the 2022 FIFA World Cup, hospitals reported a 15 per cent improve in cardiovascular-related admissions throughout and simply after matches, pointing once more to the bodily toll that emotional funding in sports activities can take.

Whereas coronary heart assaults throughout high-stress sports activities occasions just like the NHL playoffs are attainable, each Dorian and Lear stated they’re very uncommon.

So no have to panic — simply cheer responsibly.

“If somebody is completely wholesome, the possibilities are unbelievably low. If you’re unhealthy, the chance is increased, nevertheless it’s nonetheless fairly low,” Dorian stated.

4:38Well being Issues: How one can handle playoff stress

Lear famous that added stressors — like overeating, ingesting alcohol, sizzling climate or delaying therapy throughout a sport — can compound the chance.

“When you really feel the signs of a coronary heart assault, don’t wait till after the sport to get assist,” he stated.

He additionally careworn the significance of general coronary heart well being: staying energetic, managing threat components like blood stress and blood sugar and protecting drugs like nitroglycerin shut by if prescribed.