Heart attacks on Christmas Eve?

(FOX 2) - A study in Sweden looked at about 300 patients and found the day that people are most likely to have a heart attack at Christmas Eve around 10 p.m. What gives? It's supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year. 

Dr. Shukri David from Ascension Michigan says this likelihood applies to us here in the United States, too. 

"We know that stress can lead to a surge in hormones that can cause arteries to constrict and lead to heart attacks," he said. 

Those predisposed to heart attacks can have heart attacks during stressful situations, too. Those are people with hypertension, prior bypass surgery or heart attacks, or diabetes.

The holidays we can all admit do give us some stress in our lives. 

Dr. David says ways to manage our stress during this time of year is to limit the number of fatty foods and alcohol. Grief can also be stressful during the holidays, so Dr. David recommends trying to stay positive and lean on comfort from your loved ones.