Are Americans prone to heart attack during vacation?

With a recent rise in heart-attack related deaths among Americans vacationing overseas, one domestic cardiologist is speaking up about CV health while traveling.

New York physician Jennifer Haythe, MD, told Inside Edition that while vacation “is supposed to be relaxing, it can in fact be very stressful.” The shift from a person’s normal routine can be jarring—they might eat more than normal, drink more alcohol than they usually do and participate in strenuous activities, all of which could contribute to weaker heart health.

Further, Haythe said, it’s easy to forget your CV meds at home. And even if patients remember to pack their pills, taking them—and on time—is another task entirely.

Several recent tourist deaths in the Dominican Republic have been attributed to heart attacks, though the circumstances surrounding many of those cases is somewhat mysterious.

Read the story from Inside Edition below: