BRAZIL: Tense moments lead to rise in heart complaints during Brazil World Cup matches

Record ID: 355871

  • Title: BRAZIL: Tense moments lead to rise in heart complaints during Brazil World Cup matches
  • Date: 9th July 2014
  • Summary: SAO PAULO, BRAZIL (JULY 8, 2014) (REUTERS) DOCTOR NABIL GHORAYEB WALKING INTO HIS OFFICE GHORAYEB SITTING AT HIS DESK GHORAYEB'S COMPUTER SCREEN GHORAYEB SAT AT HIS DESK SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) DOCTOR, NABIL GHORAYEB, SAYING: "We noticed that during Brazil's matches against the weaker teams that didn't play well in the South Africa World Cup, nothing happened,
  • Embargoed: 24th July 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Brazil
  • Country: Brazil
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA7LJSBCXMHOO1MB4II7IAXI7WA
  • Story Text: A study led by Brazilian doctors has revealed a rise in the number of heart attacks and cardiovascular complaints recorded during World Cup matches when Brazil are playing.
    And Brazilian pulses were indeed racing on Tuesday (July 8) as Germany scored five goals in 18 astonishing first-half minutes on their way to a 7-1 semi-final mauling of Brazil which shattered the host nation's hopes of winning their sixth World Cup.
    It was the most shocking result in the tournament's history, Brazil's record World Cup defeat and their first at home in 64 competitive matches since 1975.
    Cardiovascular specialist Doctor Nabil Ghorayeb began his research based on complaints registered during Brazil's 2010 World Cup campaign, when they went out to the Netherlands in the quarter-final, and said that it was the matches against the tougher teams that got people's emotions highest, when they knew in advance that it would be diffficult.
    "We noticed that during Brazil's matches against the weaker teams, that didn't play well in the in South Africa World Cup, nothing happened, there were some fluctuations in the treatments recorded, but nothing special," Ghorayeb told Reuters. "On the Saturday that Brazil lost to Holland and went out, it was a real disappointment, and when we started this project to analyse the treatments, we found a rise of 28 percent in cardiovascular complaints."
    According to Ghorayeb, this is a particularly Latin American phenomenon, given both the emotional make up and the life style led by many in the continent.
    "The truth is that in Latin American countries, Latin Americans in general, are much more expressive, and there is the factor as well that the sport gives people idols which they do not usually have in their lifestyles, in a poor country, a developing country, people need to have some kind of idol as their focus, and we do not have this in Brazil, so the emotion for the game grows significantly," he said.
    This original condition mixed with the passion, nerves and ingrained culture of a soccer-crazed nation is, according to the specialist, a recipe for a loss of control, which should better be avoided.
    "But then if someone already suffers from a heart problem, and then takes part in these heightened emotions of watching the game, gets anxious, starts drinking coffee, starts drinking whiskey, starts drinking cognac, starts to drink gin, what is going to happen to them? They are going to make their emotional conditions worse, lose control, and cause heart damage," said Ghorayeb.
    "That is why we advise people if they are very emotional, to not even watch the game," he added.
    For many Brazilians, Tuesday's humiliating 7-1 loss to Germany accomplished the unthinkable - a disaster even worse than the last time the country hosted the World Cup, in 1950.
    Back then, it was a 2-1 loss to tiny Uruguay in the final, a massive upset that still brings tears to the eyes of older Brazilians. This defeat may have been even more scarring, because the final result was not even close. Brazil's team was torn to shreds.
    Argentina fans could also have a difficult time during their team's semi-final against the Netherlands on Wednesday (July 9). But Ghorayeb's sights remain set on the final, with the hopes of a Brazil-Argentina encounter requiring special controls.
    "We are going to have to create a protocol at the stadiums, at the door of the Maracana, if it is Brazil and Argentina in the final," joked Ghorayeb.
    The 2014 World Cup has been a tournament of abundant surprises, with history books sure to record what medical studies do not.
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