For all you soccer fans...

[wowie]

COLOGNE (Reuters) - World Cup soccer causes joy and despair and even ends marriages but now doctors are studying whether the thrill of it all can be literally heart stopping.

 Previous research during international soccer tournaments has found an increase in the general incidence of heart attacks, particularly on days when tense matches have had fans on the edge of their seats.
In the new FIFA-approved study researchers will receive blood samples from heart attack victims all over Germany watching football at the time of the attack, allowing them to look for traces of stress hormones which can clot the blood.
Doctors will also receive samples from anyone who collapses in a stadium during a World Cup match and whose blood may show higher levels of hormones then those fans watching at home.
"Patients are asked precisely what they were doing at the time of the attack -- whether they were following football on the radio or television, or even watching the pundits after the game," David Leistner of Munich's Ludwig Maximilians University told Reuters.
"So far, on the days when Germany has played we have received a lot more blood samples," he added.
First results are due in October.
A study in 1998 found the number of heart attacks increased by 25 percent on the day and in the two days after England lost to Argentina in a penalty shoot out at the 1998 World Cup.
Researchers in Switzerland also found heart attacks in the country increased by 60 percent during the 2002 World Cup in Japan and
      
South Korea -- even though the Swiss team was not even competing.
The findings prompted calls for emergency heart attack equipment to be installed in stadiums during Euro 2004.
"If it really is the case that higher stress levels can increase the chance of a heart attack then attending soccer games may have to carry a health warning," said Leistner.
Doctors advise those soccer fans who may be at greater risk of heart attack anyway due to obesity, high-cholesterol or diabetes, to refrain from drinking excessively during the World Cup tournament.COLOGNE (Reuters) - World Cup soccer causes joy and despair and even ends marriages but now doctors are studying whether the thrill of it all can be literally heart stopping.

Previous research during international soccer tournaments has found an increase in the general incidence of heart attacks, particularly on days when tense matches have had fans on the edge of their seats.
In the new FIFA-approved study researchers will receive blood samples from heart attack victims all over Germany watching football at the time of the attack, allowing them to look for traces of stress hormones which can clot the blood.
Doctors will also receive samples from anyone who collapses in a stadium during a World Cup match and whose blood may show higher levels of hormones then those fans watching at home.
"Patients are asked precisely what they were doing at the time of the attack -- whether they were following football on the radio or television, or even watching the pundits after the game," David Leistner of Munich's Ludwig Maximilians University told Reuters.
"So far, on the days when Germany has played we have received a lot more blood samples," he added.
First results are due in October.
A study in 1998 found the number of heart attacks increased by 25 percent on the day and in the two days after England lost to Argentina in a penalty shoot out at the 1998 World Cup.
Researchers in Switzerland also found heart attacks in the country increased by 60 percent during the 2002 World Cup in Japan and        South Korea -- even though the Swiss team was not even competing.
The findings prompted calls for emergency heart attack equipment to be installed in stadiums during Euro 2004.
"If it really is the case that higher stress levels can increase the chance of a heart attack then attending soccer games may have to carry a health warning," said Leistner.
Doctors advise those soccer fans who may be at greater risk of heart attack anyway due to obesity, high-cholesterol or diabetes, to refrain from drinking excessively during the World Cup tournament.COLOGNE (Reuters) - World Cup soccer causes joy and despair and even ends marriages but now doctors are studying whether the thrill of it all can be literally heart stopping.

Previous research during international soccer tournaments has found an increase in the general incidence of heart attacks, particularly on days when tense matches have had fans on the edge of their seats.

In the new FIFA-approved study researchers will receive blood samples from heart attack victims all over Germany watching football at the time of the attack, allowing them to look for traces of stress hormones which can clot the blood.

Doctors will also receive samples from anyone who collapses in a stadium during a World Cup match and whose blood may show higher levels of hormones then those fans watching at home.

"Patients are asked precisely what they were doing at the time of the attack -- whether they were following football on the radio or television, or even watching the pundits after the game," David Leistner of Munich's Ludwig Maximilians University told Reuters.

"So far, on the days when Germany has played we have received a lot more blood samples," he added.

First results are due in October.

A study in 1998 found the number of heart attacks increased by 25 percent on the day and in the two days after England lost to Argentina in a penalty shoot out at the 1998 World Cup.

Researchers in Switzerland also found heart attacks in the country increased by 60 percent during the 2002 World Cup in Japan and        South Korea -- even though the Swiss team was not even competing.

The findings prompted calls for emergency heart attack equipment to be installed in stadiums during Euro 2004.

"If it really is the case that higher stress levels can increase the chance of a heart attack then attending soccer games may have to carry a health warning," said Leistner.

Doctors advise those soccer fans who may be at greater risk of heart attack anyway due to obesity, high-cholesterol or diabetes, to refrain from drinking excessively during the World Cup tournament. 

from here

Comments

[valinns2003.livejournal.com]

Thanks for that wwowie I'll stick to just doing my cocaine while the games are on, wouldn't want to take any chances ya know!!LOL


I can imagine some people would just keel over in there seats though. Even at my daughters games I can get a little excited and thats only an under 14 game.

[roma-apollo.livejournal.com]

Why am I not surprised at this? In England if you don't actually go to the game it's inextricably linked to the pub where they have big screens and thus to beer drinking and then fast food on the way home cos you've got the munchies. If you're watching it at home, footie food, high in cholesterol, cans of beer. Yep, I can see that being heart attack central.

[wwowie.livejournal.com]

And a couple of weeks of all this would really do someone in!

[wwowie.livejournal.com]

Gimme glorious Viggo and maybe my heart will stop ;-).

[itsmepeace.livejournal.com]

i nearly had a heart attack when portugal scored the only goal in thier match against holland
viva portugal

[wwowie.livejournal.com]

Medic! Call the medic!