Scientists have worked out the most common days of the week for heart attacks

Research has been revealed that shows which day of the week heart attacks are most likely to take place.

According to a new study, the most severe types of heart attacks are more common on Mondays than any other day.

STEMI attacks are the most severe forms of attacks, which are caused by a blockage of the coronary artery and see an interruption to the blood supply.

A total of 10,528 patients were analysed as part of new research, with the study focusing hospital cases in Ireland and Northern Ireland between 2013 and 2018.

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The findings were presented at the British Cardiovascular Society (BCS) conference in Manchester.

The data shows that the risk of an STEMI-type heart attack were 13 per cent greater on a Monday compared to the average of other days.

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Cardiologist Jack Laffan from the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust said at the conference: "We've found a strong statistical correlation between the start of the working week and the incidence of STEMI. This has been described before but remains a curiosity."

Laffan also considers it likely that the natural cycle of weeks, months and seasons has on our health.

He said: "Based on what we know from previous studies, it is reasonable to presume a circadian element".

Nilesh Samani, medical director at the British Heart Foundation, added: "This study adds to evidence around the timing of particularly serious heart attacks, but we now need to unpick what it is about certain days of the week that makes them more likely.

"Doing so could help doctors better understand this deadly condition so we can save more lives in future."

It comes after a woman revealed how when she was a teenager she mistook a heart attack for butterflies, after dancing with a boy for the first time.

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