Win or lose, high-stakes sports like World Series can be hard on fans' hearts, doctors say
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- It's not easy being a devoted sports fan.
Especially with the stakes as high as the World Series.
With the Dodgers winning the first three games, most fans have been in a good mood.
But doctors say times like these can be tough on the heart, no matter the end result.
Diehard Dodger fan Dennis Joe let us monitor his heart during Game 3.
"What more can you ask for, being at 3-0?" he said afterward. "It's a great feeling."
Mostly, he was all smiles with a resting heart rate in the 70s, normal for a healthy adult.
But when it looked like the Yankees were about to hit a home run, his pulse jumped up to 86.
"What generally happens to most people when they have a lot of adrenaline in their body, especially emotional adrenaline, is their heart rate just tends to go up," says Dr. Shephal Doshi, director director of cardiac electrophysiology at Providence Saint John's Health Center.
Dr. Doshi, himself an avid fan who has counted Tommy Lasorda and Vin Scully among his patients, says high-stakes games can affect spectators' hearts.
In a study of 133 St. Louis Cardinals' fans during the 2011 World series, heart monitors detected nearly twice as many arrhythmias compared to six weeks earlier. But Dr. Doshi says these skipped heartbeats are generally harmless for healthy individuals.
"It's more relevant for the people who have really sick hearts," he said.
The evidence suggests that a negative emotion is harder on your heart than a positive one. But win or lose, the stress is high during the games.
Dr. Doshi says seek immediate care if you don't feel well and do what you can to maintain your heart health all year round.
"The bottom line from my perspective as a cardiologist, having taken care of some of the great dodgers, is enjoy this moment, enjoy this moment, enjoy it responsibly."
So far, Joe's heart is feeling great.
"Being a fan, being in the best position, this is the best scenario you can be in."
