Dutch research shows trips away lead to an increased risk of cardiac arrest
Holidays can be bad for your health, with an increased danger of having a heart attack, according to doctors.
Researchers in the Netherlands found that the first two days of the holiday represent the most dangerous time, and that driving to your destination can double the risk of heart problems.
According to the Daily Mail the study, which was carried out by workers at the emergency centre of the Royal Dutch Touring Club, also warns that camping and caravanning holidays also carry additional risks of cardiac problems.
Perhaps the most surprising find was that a third of those who suffer heart attacks on holiday have never had similar problems. Other findings included that married holidaymakers are 2.5 times more likely to suffer heart attacks; the risks are also higher for people who return to destinations they have visited before.
The head of the research, William Kop, told the Mail that there were many possible factors leading to heart problems on holiday: “These include exposure to crowded traffic conditions, extreme temperatures, altered diet and exercise levels, increased alcohol consumption, travelling activities, adaptation to new environments and cultures, and distress related to unmet expectations.”
