This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Super Bowl loss linked with increased mortality rates in local men and women
Kloner R. Clin Cardiol. 2011;doi:10.1002/clc.20876.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Residents of Los Angeles County had significantly increased total and cardiac-related death rates after the Super Bowl loss of the Los Angeles Rams in 1980. However, when the Los Angeles Raiders won the Super Bowl in 1984, women and residents aged 65 years or older had reduced rates of mortality.
“It is known that stressors such as intense sporting events may increase cardiac event rates in fans, but there has been little data available on the demographics of these fans,” the researchers wrote. “Based on our linear regression analysis, our study suggested that Los Angeles’ 1980 Super Bowl loss increased total and cardiac deaths in both men and women and triggered more deaths in older patients compared with younger patients. Conversely, the 1984 Super Bowl win showed a trend for reduction of death rates, slightly better in older than younger patients and in women more than men.”
To generate this conclusion, investigators obtained death-certificate data for Los Angeles County from 1980 to 1988 that covered Jan. 15 to the end of February for each year and then used non-Super Bowl days as the control. Mortality data included in the analysis were deaths from all-cause, as well as deaths related to circulatory system diseases, ischemic heart disease, acute MI, HF and congestive HF.
According to study results, after the 1980 Super Bowl loss, researchers reported significant spikes in all-cause mortality (P<.0001), all cardiac deaths (P=.0001) and ischemic heart disease (P=.007) in residents, whereas changes in acute MI and HF/chronic HF did not reach statistical significance.
Four years later, after a Super Bowl victory, reductions were found in deaths due to all-causes (P=.003) and circulatory system diseases (P=.03) in women. Although no reductions were reported in men with the exception of a minimal and nonsignificant reduction in all-cause mortality, residents at least 65 years of age had lower rates of all-cause mortality (P=.03), as well as nonsignificant reductions in death due to circulatory system diseases and ischemic heart disease. – by Brian Ellis
This is an interesting article that focuses on the effect of emotional excitement, stress, despair and frustration on the risk of fatal cardiac events. The absolute changes in death following exciting/disappointing Super Bowls are relatively modest but statistically significant. Previously, emotional stress has been linked to acute stress cardiomyopathy. The lessons should be that football is a game and all fans need to remember that; large wagers/bets should not be levied, it appears.
– Roger Blumenthal, MD
Cardiology
Today Section Editor
Disclosure: Dr. Blumenthal reports no relevant financial disclosures.