Deaths From Heart Disease Peak on Mondays

Jan. 26, 2000
A team of Scottish researchers discovered that more people die from heart disease on Monday than any other day of the week.

Monday is usually the day most people dread. Unfortunately, the first day of the week now has another strike against it.

According to a team of Scottish researchers, more people die from heart disease on Monday than any other day of the week.

The investigators attribute their findings in the Jan. 22 issue of the British Medical Journal to increased drinking over the weekend or to job-related stress.

However, while the study suggests an association between binge drinking and death from heart disease, it does not show increased drinking leads to death from heart disease, emphasized researchers.

To get at their findings, the researchers reviewed national death records from Scotland between 1986 and 1995.

Residents who died of heart disease were compared with a group who died of all other causes.

The team of researchers with the University of Glasgow in Scotland found that deaths from heart disease are 3.1 percent higher on Mondays compared with a daily average.

The number of deaths from heart disease on Mondays was particularly acute among those who died outside of hospitals and who had not previously been admitted to a hospital for treatment of heart disease.

People who had previously been admitted to a hospital "may be partly protected from sudden cardiac death by current treatment or may be more likely to seek medical help at the weekend because of familiarity with the symptoms," the authors explained.

The study results also show that Monday deaths were greatest in men and women younger than age 50.

Men under 65 also showed a greater number of deaths on Saturday and Sunday, possibly because they are the group most likely to drink heavily, researchers noted.

On the other hand, the lowest numbers of deaths from heart disease for both men and women under age 65 were noted on Tuesdays.

Sponsored Recommendations

3 Essential Elements for a Strong Safety Culture

March 13, 2024
Organizations globally have increased their attention on safety culture: trying to figure out what it really is and the aspects that are necessary to develop and sustain it. And...

Making the Case for Occupational Health Software

March 13, 2024
Deciding to invest in Occupational Health (OH) software can be a challenging leap for many organizations. This article will equip businesses with insightful strategies for effectively...

Fighting the Flu: Solutions for the Workplace

March 13, 2024
Seasonal flu continues to wreak considerable havoc both on individual wellness, as well as on our business continuity and productivity. Explore these solutions for protecting ...

Preventing SIFs with Digitization: Reduce Serious Injuries and Fatalities with Technology

March 13, 2024
This eBook discusses the origins of SIF prevention, outlines principles, models and tools available to EHS leaders to better detect and address SIF potential in their business...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!