Heart attack in winter: A major health concern that can adversely affect your health, especially your heart, is the drop in mercury levels during winters. The cold causes blood vessels to constrict, increases blood pressure and increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Colds can make chest pain worse due to coronary artery constriction angina, or coronary heart disease.
As temperatures drop, most hypertensive people experience obesity, clotting problems, and high blood pressure, all of which increase the risk of heart attack.
On Thursday, Kanpur district reported deaths due to heart attack and brain stroke due to these freezing temperatures, out of which 17 people died before receiving any kind of medical care.
Dr. Bikram Keshari Mohanty, Senior Consultant Cardio-thoracic & Vascular Surgeon (Adult & Pediatric), Visiting Consultant, National Heart Institute, Delhi. Mohanty spoke to Zee News Digital about how cold weather can lead to heart attacks.
Why do heart attacks happen in winter?
Outside temperature has an inverse relationship with blood pressure. The heart has to work harder to pump the same amount of blood during winter as a result of increased blood pressure. To keep our body temperature constant, our blood vessels constrict.
Heart attack is the result of blockage in the arteries of the heart and blood is just a fluid carrier like we move from one place to another in a vehicle similarly blood carries oxygen from heart to other parts of the body throughout the body. And when this blood flow is interrupted due to blockage in the arteries, a heart attack occurs.
Who is at risk of heart attack?
Individuals with heart conditions like high blood pressure and other heart related problems need to be careful and take proper care of their heart health. Diabetics are also at some risk due to the fall in the glycemic index as a result of high blood pressure. While there is no fixed age at which someone can have a heart attack, your lifestyle decisions related to diet, exercise and stress management can affect your risk.
Why is winter dangerous for the heart?
It can be more challenging for hearts to maintain a normal body temperature in winter due to the cold winds. This is because hypothermia and eventually damage to the heart muscle occurs if our body temperature drops below 95 degrees.
When you’re under stress, your body releases cortisol, which leads to a chemical imbalance that can result in conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure. Additionally, stress hormones cause the arteries to narrow, making it harder for blood to reach the body’s organs.
Also Read: Joint Pain In Winters: Natural Ways To Manage Arthritis Pain In Cold Weather
What precautions should be taken to keep the heart healthy in winter?
Avoid any intense exertion, especially outdoors. Spend as much time indoors as possible and wear warm clothes. It is best to avoid drinking too much alcohol as it can make you feel hotter than you are. This can be dangerous when you’re out in the cold. Also, engage in some physical activity in the morning after daylight and keep a check on your blood sugar and high blood pressure with regular tests and take appropriate medicines as prescribed by your doctor.