Big Wallet, Big Talent, Big Heart?

Psst...Want to learn a quick and dirty secret on how to cheat death? (Of course you do.) Invest in your education and make a lot of money. According to a new report, increased levels of education and income could improve your odds of surviving heart attack. What? As if handling a health diagnosis isn't scary enough—now we have the knowledge that we might not be smart or rich enough to prevent it! Awesome.

The study from the esteemed Mayo Clinic looked at about 700 people who had suffered a heart attack (and of those 155 that died) and found that those who had the worst one-year survival estimates, 75%, were also those with the lowest incomes — $28,732 to $44,665. Those with the highest incomes — $56,992 to $74,034 — had an 83% chance of survival. The survival rate was 67% for people who had fewer than 12 years of education. In contrast, the survival rate was 85% for people who had more than 12 years of education.

Researchers speculated that higher education could give people basic health knowledge and lifestyle habits. More education also tends to yield higher paying jobs that provide health insurance. Of course, if you're working yourself that hard, you may just work yourself into another heart attack or other illness!

Do you think this research is on the spot? Tell us what you think! [HealthDay]