The Maltese may live and breathe politics but the extra stress of elections is killing some, a new study has found.
Deaths from coronary heart disease almost doubled in the week after last year's general election - which was a close call for the two major political parties - when compared to three other periods, including the week after the Euro 2008 football tournament.
A four-strong team, led by cardiologist Mark Sammut, found that 25 people died of cardiac attacks in the week after the election. This was almost double the 13 who died just after the Euro 2008 tournament ended and 11 for another two periods at the end of 2007 and earlier this year.
"There is no doubt that the fact the election was so close and the result took long to come out contributed to stress among the population," he said.
With just a 1,500-vote majority, the Nationalist Party claimed a wafer-thin victory in the closest general election result since 1966. March 9, 2008 had started with what looked like a sure win for the Labour Party and then put party supporters through roller-coaster of emotions throughout the day. The PN claimed victory at 9.10 p.m., which is considered late since a clear indication is normally available in the early afternoon.
But, just hours later, doubts were cast over the PN's slim victory due to an error on the seventh district, when a Labour candidate was bestowed with an extra 500 votes during the counting process, slashing the minute majority.
Dr Sammut said the lengthier than usual stressful period most probably contributed to the increase in cardiac arrests.
"We are also suspecting that the increase in deaths stemmed from people having made bets and lost a lot of money," he said, adding that 25 cardiac deaths in a week was considered very high for Malta.
Dr Sammut said the study, presented during the Malta Medical School Conference last month, clearly showed that elections substantially increased stress levels in the population.
"That obviously translates into an increased level of deaths from heart attacks," he said, adding that studies in other countries had similar results, including one in New York just after the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001.
In Malta's case, the lesson to be learnt is to keep election fever in check.
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