Watching sports a health hazard?

CNN recently reported an interesting study on how men seemed to delay treatment during a football game. Here are some excerpts...

"When is a man's medical emergency not all that urgent? Apparently when sports are on the tube.
A drop in the number of men going to the emergency room during sports broadcasts on TV is followed by a surge afterward, reports an ER doctor who reviewed case numbers over three years at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore"

"It was a two-stage decision: If they were hurt, whether to go to the hospital or not. If they needed to go to the hospital, could they finish the game or not?"

Another interesting article published by BBC some time ago about Heart Attacks and Strokes in Dutchman following football matches says;

"Most Dutch people have unhappy memories of the France - Holland match in the 1996 European Championships - but they are the lucky ones.
Researchers have found that the number of fatal heart attacks and strokes suffered by Dutchmen on the day that their side went out of the tournament on penalties was significantly higher than normal. "

"In total, about 14 additional deaths occurred - an increase of around 50%.
No corresponding increase in deaths occurred in women. "

"Scottish study
A previous study found that Edinburgh Royal Infirmary treated an incredible 151 patients for football-related problems during the 1998 World Cup in France.
Problems included:

• A fan rushed to hospital suffering an asthma attack which came on as he watched the Scots go down 3-0 to the Moroccans in the 1998 World Cup
• Another fan who needed treatment for self-inflicted deafness from his shouting at the television
• One fan - sporting a full Scotland strip - was found unconscious after having overdosed on temazepam. He required treatment for psychosis when he said the Scottish squad was talking to him through the television screen.
• Eight fans who suffered chest pains, two who suffered hyperventilation, one with palpitations and three with alcohol-related seizures"

Read the complete article here;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1081413.stm

The above figures are certainly pretty scary. What about Cricket and those nerve biting finishes to those cliffhanging one day matches? The press has certainly highlighted a few heart attacks occurring 'due' to these close finishes. And how about delaying treatment? Would someone experiencing potentially serious symptoms put off obtaining medical care during an interesting phase of an ODI? Like maybe when Sanna boy is on song? I'm sure its more than possible. Still I find it unlikely that someone with very severe chest pain is gonna be doing any cheering. But then everyone does not experience chest pain during a heart attack; the so called "Silent MI" - a doctors and patients nightmare. I guess that's the kind of patient who would be most likely to postpone medical treatment, ignoring the excessive sweating, nausea, palpitations and breathlessness that would normally warrant a fairly quick visit to the Doc. After all don't we all experience at least some of these during a tight one day match. I few years ago while working in state hospital, I remember my consultant checking up on the streptokinase (a clot buster) supply in the ward on a match night, expecting a few extra heart attack admissions. Strepto is a relatively expensive drug not freely available in state hospitals. It has to be pre-ordered as supplies are limited. So if one runs out of streptokinase on a casualty night one is most certainly screwed!

And what about the seemingly innocent symptoms that are potentially life threatening? A slight dropping of an eyelid? A crooked smile? I wonder if its time to issue a surgeon generals warning before an ODI :)