The Dangers of Sports

Tight games can put your heart in jeopardy, while losing them can actually stop it entirely, research suggests. A study reveals that heart-related deaths rose in Los Angeles County during the two weeks following the 1980 Super Bowl, in which the Los Angeles Rams lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a see-saw game with seven lead changes. Meanwhile, The New England Journal of Medicine reported a similar increase in hear attacks in 2006 in Germany when its national team played in the World Cup. Such stressful moments at the zenith of sports-fandom "can result in emotional stressors," says Robert A. Kloner, an expert in heart-attack triggers. "That isn't always good for the heart." Keep that in mind if your team reaches the NCAA championship game.