PROVIDED TO THE LAKELAND GAZETTE
Did you know that more people have heart attacks during the holiday season than at any other time of the year?
Orlando Health Watson Clinic, Lakeland Highlands Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mark Mines is encouraging Central Florida residents to “celebrate smart to protect your heart this holiday season.”
Cardiologists report a sharp jump in heart-related ER visits during the holidays — nearly a 40% increase in heart-attack deaths — tied to multiple factors people encounter during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.
“It’s called Holiday Heart Syndrome and the period between late November and the first week of January is the most dangerous time of the year –– for your heart,” Dr. Mines said.
The top causes of Holiday Heart Syndrome are binge drinking, overeating, stress, and disrupted sleep.
About 53% of Americans consume alcohol on a regular basis, and 44% of drinkers– the equivalent to 61 million people– engage in binge drinking, which is defined as consuming five or more standard drinks during a single occasion, according to a 2016 study on alcohol and atrial fibrillation by scientists with the National Center for Biotechnology Information.
A 2024 study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information states that Holiday Heart Syndrome continues to be a prevalent occurrence in emergency rooms, with alcohol serving as a precipitating factor for atrial fibrillation in an average 48% of cases, especially 12 to 36 hours after patients stop binge drinking.
Complications of holiday heart syndrome include life-threatening heart arrhythmias, development of persistent and chronic atrial fibrillation, also known as A-fib, development of dilated cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure, stroke, community-acquired pneumonia and even death.
“It is important for people to maintain healthy eating habits, monitor, cut back on, or even eliminate any alcohol consumption,” Dr. Mines said. “They should also get enough sleep and make sure they don’t get caught up in what can often be a stressful time of the year.”
Dr. Mines is a highly respected, board-certified interventional cardiologist who has dedicated more than two decades to serving the Lakeland community. He has held numerous leadership positions, including chief of staff and chief of cardiology at the Watson Clinic and Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center. His contributions to clinical education, research, and cardiac care have been recognized through multiple honors, including the American Heart Association Medical Fellowship Award.