The Gazette | See how the cold can influence heart health

Autumn has arrived and, with it, colder temperatures, especially at the end of the day. However, changes in the thermometer can also significantly impact health, especially for patients with chronic heart and lung diseases.

The unexpected variation in temperature means that the body needs to keep vital organs functioning, increasing energy expenditure, leaving it more vulnerable. To the low temperatures favor the spread of viruses and bacteriapeople become more confined and this generates an increase in respiratory diseases such as flu, rhinitis, sinusitis and pneumonia.

When air humidity is low, the airways dry out, further favoring the appearance of respiratory decompensation, especially in children and people with chronic lung diseases.

In addition to damage to the airways, cold is responsible for increasing cardiovascular diseases. According to av Cristina Milagre, from Hcor, at lower temperatures, vasoconstriction (narrowing of the diameter of the arteries), which can impair adequate blood flow of oxygen to the heart.

“This imbalance can lead to angina pectoris and even myocardial infarction”, says the doctor. This happens because the heart needs to work harder to keep the body’s internal temperature in balance.

According to the American Heart Association, arrhythmias, heart attacks and strokes are the most common in the cold. “Blood pressure tends to be higher in the cold due to vasoconstriction, and this already turns on a warning light. People with high blood pressure, heart failure (weak and/or enlarged heart), angina and those who have already suffered a heart attack should be even more alert and follow up regularly”, adds Cristina Milagre.

Furthermore, at the sign of any symptom such as chest pain, tingling in the arm, shortness of breath, palpitation and sweating, the patient must be taken directly to the emergency room. Researchers at the London School discovered that, on harsh winter days, each degree of temperature drop is directly related to 200 more cases of heart attack.

So that the body does not suffer so much from temperature changes, it is necessary to adopt some protective measures, such as wearing onion-style clothing (layered clothing) that can be easily removed and put on depending on the weather during the day. Furthermore, it is always important to maintain a healthy routine, regular use of medications, up-to-date routine exams, as well as regular consultations with the responsible cardiologist.

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