Rise in heart attacks after Hurricane Katrina persisted six years later

Lingering stress from major disasters can damage health years later, according to a new study that found a three-fold spike in heart attacks continued in New Orleans six years after Hurricane Katrina. Researchers also found a lasting disruption in the timing of heart attacks in the six years after the storm with significantly more incidents occurring on nights and weekends, which are typically times hospitals see fewer admissions for heart attacks.