The claim

Heart attacks are more common on birthdays

The facts

If the stress of a pink slip or the strain of physical exertion can set off a heart attack, then why not the emotion associated with birthdays?

Although typically a time of celebration, birthdays for some can be filled with intense pressure and even anguish, a day of silent despair or expectations unfulfilled. That, scientists say, is particularly true with the elderly, who are more likely on birthdays to begin to think of their lives in terms of how much time is left, rather than how much time has passed.

One extensive examination of the claim was conducted by Canadian researchers and published in the journal Neurology this year. In the study, the researchers tracked more than 50,000 patients, with an average age about 70, who were treated for heart failure at hospitals in Ontario. What they found was a strong relationship between birthdays and the onset of vascular events.

Strokes, acute myocardial infarctions and transient ischaemic attacks were 27 per cent more likely to occur on birthdays. There was no corresponding increase for other ailments, like appendicitis, head trauma or asthma, suggesting that heart attacks were unique. The scientists attributed the phenomenon largely to anxiety and other “psychosocial stressors”.

Another study, in New Jersey, found a similar birthday spike — 21 per cent for men and 9 per cent for women — suggesting that overindulgence may play a role. Drinking and smoking, were more common on birthdays, especially among men, something that could explain the gender difference in the study.

The bottomline

Heart attacks occur more frequently on birthdays than on other days of the year.

NYTNS