Why Is Cardiac Morbidity and Mortality Greater Around Christmas, New Year’s, Monday Mornings and in the Morning Hours: Potential Roles of Unrecognized Ionized Hypomagnesemia and Release of Ceramides?

Abstract

The following is the introduction to this article: There is a growing incidence of lethal cardiac events around Christmas, New Year’s and in the morning hours from 4:00 to 10:00 a.m. which is well-established in the USA and in The Southern Hemisphere [1-7]. In addition, many cardiac deaths often occur on Mondays with no satisfactory explanation [2,3]. Many of these deaths are, for the most part, unexplained and listed as “death from “natural causes”. Although in the USA, the deaths which occur around Christmas and New Years happen in the cold –winter months, this does not account for many cardiac incidences which occur throughout the year in the early a.m. hours or on Mondays. A number of explanations have been offered to explain the higher morbidities and mortalities at these special times of the year, morning hours and on Mondays, such as emotional stresses, too much ingestion of alcoholic beverages, improper medical facilities, diet, and/or changes in the physical environments [1-7]