Published 9 June 2023
According to new research presented at the British Cardiovascular Society (BCS) conference in Manchester, serious heart attacks are more likely to occur on a Monday compared to other days of the week.
The study, by doctors from the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, examined the records of 10,528 patients admitted to hospitals across the island of Ireland (including the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland).
These patients had been admitted between 2013 and 2018 for the most severe type of heart attack, known as an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This happens when a major coronary artery, which supplies blood to your heart, becomes completely blocked. Without emergency care, STEMIs can be fatal.
Each year in the UK, more than 30,000 people are admitted to hospital with a STEMI. They need immediate assessment and treatment to minimise damage to their hearts. This typically involves emergency angioplasty and stent(s), a procedure to reopen the blocked coronary artery and get blood flowing to the heart again.
The researchers found there was a notable increase in the rate of STEMI heart attacks at the start of the working week, with rates highest on a Monday (a 13 per cent increase). They also saw higher than expected rates of STEMI on Sundays.
The exact reason behind this “Blue Monday” effect isn’t yet known. Past studies showing a greater likelihood of heart attacks at the start of the week have suggested a link with the body's circadian rhythm, which governs our sleep and wake cycles.