DPA © The Spanish Society for Cardiology (SEC) issued a warning on Tuesday about the risk of heart problems during the upcoming Clasico matches between Barcelona and Real Madrid.
The twin giants, who played out a tense 1-1 league draw on Saturday, face each other again on Wednesday in the final of the King's Cup - then in the semi-finals of the Champions League a week later.
SEC's warning, which has been published on various websites, warned that the risks of suffering a heart attack "increase considerably during football matches of high tension."
According to SEC, "in moments of emotional stress, such as during a football match of this kind, the production of adrenaline increases, which makes the movements of the heart stronger and faster and narrows the arteries."
The possibilities of suffering heart problems, announced SEC, "increase greatly" during decisive matches, and when such matches are repeated over a short space of time.
SEC cited a German study carried out during the 2006 World Cup finals which showed that cardiac emergencies increased by 300 per cent for men when the German national team was playing - and also doubled for women.
The SEC statement quotes doctor Julian Villacastin, the institutes' general secretary, as saying: "Emotional stress is one of the factors which contributes to cardiac episodes.
"There is always tension during a Real-Barca clash, and this is especially so if they play three decisive matches against each other within two weeks."
Villacastin added: "Studies have discovered that the final result of a game is not so important. What is important is the intensity, the emotions and the expectations generated during a game. A dramatic finale, such as a penalty or a goal in the last minutes, are factors which could provoke heart attacks."
According to Villcastin, "the profile of the person susceptible to suffering this kind of cardiac incidents is a male over 50 years of age, diabetic, smoker, hyper-tense, with a high level of cholesterol, possibly obese and with a sedentary lifestyle.
"Other characteristics of candidates for cardiac episodes are people who have difficulty controlling their emotions, people who are passionate and who have a low tolerance level for frustrations."
The twin giants, who played out a tense 1-1 league draw on Saturday, face each other again on Wednesday in the final of the King's Cup - then in the semi-finals of the Champions League a week later.
SEC's warning, which has been published on various websites, warned that the risks of suffering a heart attack "increase considerably during football matches of high tension."
According to SEC, "in moments of emotional stress, such as during a football match of this kind, the production of adrenaline increases, which makes the movements of the heart stronger and faster and narrows the arteries."
The possibilities of suffering heart problems, announced SEC, "increase greatly" during decisive matches, and when such matches are repeated over a short space of time.
SEC cited a German study carried out during the 2006 World Cup finals which showed that cardiac emergencies increased by 300 per cent for men when the German national team was playing - and also doubled for women.
The SEC statement quotes doctor Julian Villacastin, the institutes' general secretary, as saying: "Emotional stress is one of the factors which contributes to cardiac episodes.
"There is always tension during a Real-Barca clash, and this is especially so if they play three decisive matches against each other within two weeks."
Villacastin added: "Studies have discovered that the final result of a game is not so important. What is important is the intensity, the emotions and the expectations generated during a game. A dramatic finale, such as a penalty or a goal in the last minutes, are factors which could provoke heart attacks."
According to Villcastin, "the profile of the person susceptible to suffering this kind of cardiac incidents is a male over 50 years of age, diabetic, smoker, hyper-tense, with a high level of cholesterol, possibly obese and with a sedentary lifestyle.
"Other characteristics of candidates for cardiac episodes are people who have difficulty controlling their emotions, people who are passionate and who have a low tolerance level for frustrations."
