Be Still, My Heart. No Really, Please be Still!

Today on the front page of my local paper, I saw this headline:

Super Bowl could have wrong kind of cardiac finish, doctors say

Apparently the big game this weekend really could be hazardous to my health! I’m a Patriots fan (have been my whole life, so back off with the bandwagon comments) and I am a RABID fan. Think throw-stuff-at-the-TV rabid, stomp up and down at a turnover rabid, mope and whine for days after a loss rabid. Even this year, when the boys went undefeated in the regular season and the playoffs, I felt the stress.

Remember when Tom Brady threw the perfect pass to Randy Moss and he *dropped it? Sure, they went back to him on the next play and Moss scored, but still!

So, keeping that in mind, imagine what I felt when I read this in today’s Orlando Sentinel:

In a study being published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, German researchers found that heart attacks and other cardiac emergencies doubled in Munich when the German soccer team played in World Cup matches.

“I know a little bit about the Super Bowl,” study author Dr. Gerhard Steinbeck of Munich told The Associated Press. “It’s reasonable to think that something quite similar might happen.”

The article goes on to say:

“Stress definitely can cause heart attacks,” says Dr. Kenneth Kronhaus, a Mount Dora cardiologist. “There are a lot more common examples. For instance, Monday is the busiest day in a cardiologist’s office, and Monday is usually the most stressful day of the week.”

So imagine a die-hard sports fan watching his favorite team blow the biggest game of the year.

Making matters worse is the Super Bowl menu. Eating one fatty meal can create “unstable plaque” — and lead to a heart attack, Kronhaus said.

Think about those chicken wings, bratwurst, and cheese and crackers, sports fans.

Kronhaus suggests that people with diagnosed heart problems go easy on the fatty foods and alcohol. And if they’re super fans, they should monitor their blood pressure at home.

But if you — or a fan you love — experiences heart pain or palpitations during the big game, don’t be afraid to go to the emergency room.

On Super Bowl Sunday, the ER might be empty.

“The staff will be there,” Conti said, “but they’ll all be watching the game in the waiting room.”

Um … yeah. So no eating junk food? No jumping up and down? Doubtful.

I think I’ll take my chances.