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Doctors have found a relationship between falling stock markets and the frequency of heart attacks, Duke University Medical Center said.

“In analyzing our local patient population during the recent period of increased volatility in the stock market, we found that when stock market values decreased, heart attacks seemed to increase, and then decreased when stock trends improved,” said Mona Fiuzat, the study’s lead investigator.

“While more and larger studies are needed to examine the reason for these findings, it’s important for health care providers to be aware of social stressors that may potentially affect their patients.”

The results of the research were presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 59th annual scientific conference in Atlanta over the weekend. The study focused on patients registered at the Duke Hospital Catheterization Lab between January 2006 and July 2009.

The study included patients who suffered a heart attack within three days prior to undergoing a heart procedure. Data was plotted against daily stock market values during the same period.

Researchers said that while earlier studies showed a link between traumatic events such the 9/11 terrorist attacks and an increased risk of “cardiac events,” there was limited data on the impact of financial markets.

“These results appear to be consistent with studies looking at other environmental stressors and their impact on cardiovascular events,” Fiuzat said.  Agence France-Presse