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Heart rate spikes observed in hockey spectators during live games
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Watching professional hockey significantly elevated the heart rates of viewers and could potentially raise the risk for CV events, according to new data published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.
“Our analysis of elements of the hockey game associated with peak heart rates supports the notion that it is not the outcome of the game that primarily determines the intensity of the emotional stress response, but rather the excitement experienced while viewing high-stakes or high-intensity portions of the game,” Paul Khairy, MD, PhD, from the Montreal Heart Institute at the University of Montreal, and colleagues wrote. “Importantly, we identified the ambience of a live game as contributing substantially to the intensity of the cardiovascular stress response, yielding a much greater increase in heart rate compared with televised games.”
Researchers enrolled 20 healthy volunteers aged 23 to 63 years, 10 of whom attended a Montreal Canadiens game at the Bell Centre and 10 who watched the televised game.
Participants received a questionnaire to assess demographic variables, medical history and fan passion score.
All participants were fitted with a Holter monitor, and the intensity of physical stress response was monitored throughout the game and was defined as mild, moderate of vigorous.
Elevated heart rates
According to the study, those who viewed the game at the arena had an elevated heart rate of 110% vs. a 75% increase in heart rate among those who watched the televised game (P < .001).
Researchers found an increase of 92% in heart rate in both sets of participants during hockey games, from 60 beats per minute at rest to 144 beats per minute (P < .001).
Khairy and colleagues also found that those who watched the games live had greater heart rate index (2.16 vs. 1.73; P < .001) and percent maximum predicted heart rate attained (75% vs. 58%; P < .001) compared with those who watched on television.
Peak heart rates occurred most frequently during overtime (40%), scoring opportunities for the viewer’s team (25%) and scoring opportunities against the viewer’s team (15%), according to the researchers.
“Our results indicate that viewing a hockey game can likewise be the source of an intense emotional stress, as manifested by marked increases in heart rate,” Khairy said in a press release. “The study raises the potential that the emotional stress-induced response of viewing a hockey game can trigger adverse cardiovascular events on a population level. Therefore, the results have important public health implications.”
Preparedness essential
In accompanying editorial by David D. Waters, MD, from the division of cardiology at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, and Stanley Nattel, MD, from the department of medicine at the Montreal Heart Institute and University of Montreal and the department of pharmacology at McGill University in Montreal, wrote of the importance of warning patients and those around them of potential CV symptoms.
“At events where triggering might occur, appropriate precautions should be in place, including the availability of defibrillators and personnel trained in their use,” they wrote. “Standard procedures should exist for getting individuals with symptoms to medical attention and staff training should be updated regularly. Such readiness will save lives.” – by Dave Quaile
Disclosures: The authors, Nattel and Waters report no relevant financial disclosures.
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