Hockey games and the incidence of ST-elevation myocardial infarction

The association between diagnosed acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and hockey games in the Canadian population is unknown.We retrospectively analyzed the association between hockey games of the National Hockey League Montreal Canadiens and daily hospital admissions for acute STEMI at the Montreal Heart Institute, Canada.Between June 2010 and December 2014, a total of 2199 patients (25.9% women; mean age, 62.6 ± 12.4 years) were admitted for acute STEMI. An increase in STEMI admissions was observed the day after a hockey game of the Montreal Canadiens in the overall population (from 1.3 ± 1.2 to 1.5 ± 1.3), however, this difference was not significant (P\ua0= 0.1). The number of STEMI admissions increased significantly from 0.9 ± 1.0 to 1.2 ± 1.0 per day in men (P\ua0= 0.04), but not in women (P\ua0= 0.7). The association between ice hockey matches and STEMI admission rates was strongest after a victory of the Montreal Canadiens. Accordingly, an increased risk for the occurrence of STEMI was observed in the overall population (hazard ratio [HR], 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0-1.3; P\ua0= 0.037) when the Montreal Canadiens won a match. This association was present in men (HR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.03-1.4; P\ua0= 0.02) but not in women (P\ua0= 0.87), with a most pronounced effect seen in younger men (younger than 55 years; HR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1-1.8; P\ua0= 0.009).Although a weak association between hockey games and hospital admissions for STEMI was found in our overall population, the event of a hockey game significantly increased the risk for STEMI in younger men. Preventive measures targeting behavioural changes could positively affect this risk