- With Mayo Clinic oncologist
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
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Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
"The magic of the electronic village is transforming health information. The mouse and keyboard have extended the stethoscope to the 500 million people now online." - Dr. Edward Creagan
The power of the medium inspires Dr. Edward Creagan as he searches for ways to share Mayo Clinic's vast resources with the general public.
Dr. Creagan, a Newark, N.J., native, is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hospice medicine and palliative care. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1973 and in 1999 was president of the staff of Mayo Clinic. Dr. Creagan, a professor of medical oncology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, was honored in 1995 with the John and Roma Rouse Professor of Humanism in Medicine Award and in 1992 with the Distinguished Mayo Clinician Award, Mayo's highest recognition. He has been recognized with the American Cancer Society Professorship of Clinical Oncology.
He describes his areas of special interest as "wellness as a bio-psycho-social-spiritual-financial model" and fitness, mind-body connection, aging and burnout.
Dr. Creagan has been an associate medical editor with Mayo Clinic's Web sites and has edited publications and CD-ROMs and reviewed articles.
"We the team of (the Web site) provide reliable, easy-to-understand health and wellness information so that each of us can have productive, meaningful lives," he says.
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Stress blog
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April 29, 2009
Blog: Sports obsession can stress your heart
By Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
The world — and perhaps no where as much as America — has a fascination with athletic performances. Many individuals tie their sense of self-worth, their happiness and sometimes their pocketbooks to the success of their favorite sports franchise. I vividly recall working in Washington, D.C., many decades ago and when the government was in a "funk" because the Washington Redskins had lost. Likewise, when I lived in Philadelphia I experienced the city's collective depression when the Eagles did poorly.
Being let down by our favorite team is not only a blow to our self-esteem — it can also be deadly for our hearts. Several years ago, a prominent medical journal chronicled a dramatic increase in heart attacks in Germany when that country was playing the elimination contest for the World Cup. Studies have also demonstrated a dramatic increase in deaths in Los Angeles County when the Rams lost the Super Bowl — and a decrease in heart attacks when the Raiders won the Super Bowl four years later.
Ample medical evidence shows that during times of profound stress — whether it is brief, or a joy or a disappointment — there can be a surge in chemicals that can short circuit the heart's functions. This can result in a fatal heart condition. We are well-advised to remember that after all it is a game, and regardless of the outcome the sun will rise tomorrow.
If you have a heart condition or other serious condition, it's important to recognize the risk and take appropriate precautions, such as keeping your medications up to date. And if you're attending a sporting event, be aware of the emergency medical services available on site.
These recommendations are especially important as we head into the elimination contest for the World Cup. This will take place in 2010 in South Africa, and about half of the world's population will see the final event. Passions run deep; nationalism is at a fever pitch; and patients with serious heart conditions and other illnesses may be at risk.
So, let's be preemptive, let's be proactive, and let's position ourselves to take care of our own health and wellness regardless of the game.
Can other members of our blog community relate to this situation? Please let us know since we are all on a journey.
5 comments posted
- When sports matter way too much. Wall Street Journal, March 27, 2009. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123811281896153303.html#mod=djemHL. Accessed March 31, 2009.
5 comments posted