It is widely known that cardiovascular disease-induced deaths and risks increase dramatically during winter. Experts attribute this to the narrowing of heart blood vessels leading to less supply to the heart muscle. Also, there’s an inverse relationship between blood pressure and environmental temperature, putting stress on the heart.
However, not just winter, the sweltering heat of summer months can also put the heart at an increased risk of heart attack and other complications, cardiologists warned.
Dr Anand Kumar Pandey, director and senior consultant-cardiology, Narayana Superficiality Hospital, said, “During summer or excessively hot conditions, our cardiovascular system increases its effort to cool our body by radiating heat. Heat leads to enlarged blood vessels and lower blood pressure. So, the heart beats faster and harder. This situation can cause a serious problem to the heart. During winter, the cold causes blood vessels to contract, which can raise blood pressure, increasing the risk of a heart attack. As we see situations are different but excess hot or excess cold, are dangerous for heart health.”
“In summers, the heart is required to circulate blood 2-4 times more than the normal days. If the body is not cooled properly, then the chances are that the person might suffer a heat stroke, which may be fatal in some cases. Heatstroke can affect anyone, but people who suffer from heart disease are at greater risk,” added senior international cardiologist, associate professor, department of medicine, Noida International Institute of Medical Sciences. Stroke, heart attack and angina are some of the most common complications.
While everyone must pay special attention to heart health during extreme hot conditions, people with comorbidities are at greater risk. “People who are already suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol levels and pre-existing heart conditions are immensely affected,” said director-adult cardiothoracic vascular surgery, Fortes Escorts Heart Institute.
Dr Jha said: “The most important comorbidities that affect heart health are renal insufficiency, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep disorders like obstructive and central apnea syndrome, and anemia. So, if we will not keep our co-morbidities at check-in any season be it winter or summers, we are hampering our heart health.”
Explaining how diabetics get affected during summers, Dr Pandey said people with diabetes get dehydrated quickly as they lose too much water from their bodies. “If they are not drinking enough liquids, their blood glucose level increases and high blood glucose can make them urinate more, causing dehydration. It can damage blood vessels that may adversely affect heart health.”
Symptoms that you must not ignore
According to heart specialists, the following symptoms are indications of compromised heart health during summers. “Heart assault signs and symptoms may well differ from person to man or woman depending on the fundamental trigger. According to The American Heart Association, there are some extended indicators that should under no circumstances be overlooked. Alternatively, these symptoms want to be dealt with at the earliest.”
*Chest pain
*Heaviness of the chest
*Difficulty in breathing
*Increase in heartbeat (palpitations)
*Swelling in feet
*Dizziness
*Pain in the hand
*Pain in the jaws
*Excessive gastritis not relieved by usual gas pills
*Sudden episode of fainting
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