The impact of cold weather on heart health

Arab Weather - Medical site - form the heart and vascular diseases , the leading cause of death in the world, equivalent to 30% of the number of deaths per year. Many factors increase the risk of heart attack, or affect the functioning of the heart muscle. These factors include weather variations and climate change. There was a correlation between the difference in weather and the high incidence of symptoms in cardiovascular patients during the winter compared to the summer. This association is based on a combination of changes and factors that occur in the body and vary from chapter to chapter.

These factors include; Physical activity, risk of infection, and air pollution. In addition to the effects of different seasons on the level of different substances in the body, such as substances causing the occurrence of blood clots, cholesterol, hormones and substances that cause aneurysms or shrinking blood vessels.

The human body responds to different temperatures in different ways, the higher the temperature and the surrounding environment than the body temperature is lower or lower than it makes the body make a series of changes to reduce the gain or loss of heat, as it is known that heat is transmitted from one body to another in different ways, including loss The heat evaporates, moving from the hottest body to the least heat by transport.

When the body is exposed to a low temperature below 37 ° C, the heat moves from the human body to the surrounding air, so wearing clothes reduces the body's loss of heat, and the presence of air and wind increases the body's loss of heat, as the constant movement of air leads to change The air near the body, which takes part of the warmth of the body repeatedly, the body loses more heat. It protects the body itself from significant heat loss and tries to maintain the body's internal heat stability and is appropriate for organs to perform vital functions through two basic types of response :

• Narrowing of blood vessels especially in the extremities, this response leads to a reduction in the amount of blood flowing to the extremities and the skin in general. The flowing blood carries with it the warmth coming from the center of the body or heart, so when exposed to cold weather the person notices the beginning of cold hands and feet.
• Increased energy production in the body, the main center of energy production is muscle, where energy is increased through trembling and trembling, this involuntary movement of muscles generate more energy for the body. But for muscles to perform this function, they need a higher flow of oxygen and thus increase the work of the heart muscle, and increase their effort to provide muscles with enough blood to produce energy and raise body heat.

The heart is one of the most important elements in the body that work together to maintain proper body temperature. The presence of a chronic heart problem or disease is certainly directly affected by the different weather and the changing weather.

Cold weather and coronary artery disease

Maintaining a suitable body temperature in winter, when exposed to cold weather is a challenge for heart patients. Cold weather requires more effort from the heart muscle to provide a higher flow of blood to keep the body warm. Coronary Artery Disease People with coronary heart disease suffer from stenosis or closure of one or more of the arteries supplying the heart muscle, called coronary artery. Lack of blood flow to the heart muscle disrupts its action and causes chest pain, shortness of breath and other symptoms of angina and heart attack.

Exposure to any double effort in patients with coronary artery can cause a heart attack again, so exposure to cold weather is a challenge for them, cold, and the need for greater effort to obtain warmth, and walking quickly against the movement of cold winds, and accelerated breathing are all factors that require a double effort the heart. Therefore, it is found that the majority of cases of angina occur during the fall and winter compared to a lower rate in the summer, and the rate of cases of angina (English: Angina Pectoris) admitted to the hospital increases significantly in winter, especially.

Acute Myocardial Infarction has also been shown to be associated with a higher incidence during the winter, and the association is more pronounced when the patient is male, especially older.

In some cases coronary artery disease is associated with heart failure or weakness, myocardial dysfunction patients suffer from a sudden decrease in heart muscle function during the winter and cold weather, in addition to increased cases of fluid accumulation in the lungs and the need to enter the hospital for follow-up and treatment.

Special mention should also be made of the elderly and those with cardiovascular disease, whose suffering increases to keep their bodies warm during the winter, for many reasons, the most important of which is to increase the effort required by the already sick heart muscle to keep the body warm, and the lack of fat in the body, especially in the elderly low-weight Increases their heat loss and reduces their body's ability to maintain heat. Also, the lack of sensation of cold in their limbs due to the presence of other chronic diseases such as diabetes (which causes the sensation in the peripheral nerves such as the feet) makes them more likely to develop icing extremities (frostbite), cold sores, and others. The presence of other diseases can worsen the problem, and reduce their ability to express their sense of cold so it is important to pay attention to them in particular.

Other factors associated with cold weather affect heart patients

In addition to the cold weather during the winter and the cold air surrounding and the winds that take from the warmth surrounding the body, it increases the chance of catching infection, especially seasonal flu. Influenza can itself be a critical condition for heart patients, as the flu causing hyperthermia increases the stress on the heart muscle, causing a general fatigue over the patient's body, which can worsen symptoms of heart failure and coronary heart disease.

Tips for preventing heart disease in winter

Cold weather precautions for heart patients

• Exposure to the cold atmosphere is generally stressful for everyone, but it is associated with other problems in heart patients, so the following preventive measures can be taken to prevent exposure to heart problems during the winter:
• Avoid exposure to cold weather, try to warm your body well before you get cold, and try to reduce the time your heart patient stays outside during cold times.
• Avoid fatigue, during the winter and when snow falls, trying to remove the snow or just walking in the snow can be stressful for heart patients. This fatigue can be a catalyst for a heart attack.
• Avoid excessive heating, to wear a lot of clothing before doing any physical activity and high body temperature, can cause sudden expansion of blood vessels, and therefore a sudden decrease in blood pressure in heart patients. So when you notice a little sweating during any activity it is important to sit down to take a break and try to get back inside as soon as possible.
• Take the flu vaccine to prevent the catch of infection at the time of its spread, and to protect the body from complications, especially in heart patients.
• Pay attention and care more in the elderly during the winter, put warm blankets around them, and frequently ask about their feeling of warmth and comfort during cold times. They should also pay attention to their feet, especially if they are unable to express their feelings or unable to move.

Recommendations for heart patients: Take care of your health in the winter