Cold Causes Cardiovascular Stress

Sudden Exertion In Cold Temperatures Can Lead To Heart Failure

Jim Reed had open heart surgery five years ago last month. A week later, an ice storm hit the region.

Reed, an alderman on the Springdale City Council, said the ice storm didn’t affect his condition or recovery, because he stayed inside, but he does have trouble taking deep breaths in extremely cold temperatures.

Going outside at all in cold, snowy or icy weather puts a strain on the heart, said Larry Weathers, cardiologist with Mercy Heart and Vascular Clinic. The simple act of breathing puts more stress on the heart when it’s cold.

“It increases the amount of work by the heart by at least half and maybe double,” he said.

Avoiding heart problems in cold weather is all about avoiding sudden exertion, said Alexis Sims, communications director for the Arkansas office of the American Heart Association. She didn’t have any numbers, but said there is usually a spike in the number of people with heart problems during cold or hot weather. This occurs because people physically exert themselves during those times.

Most of the winter-related emergency room visits at Northwest Medical Centers in Springdale and Bentonville have been fall-related injuries and influenza, said Pat Driscoll, spokeswoman.

At A Glance

Tips For Those with Heart Conditions

Take breaks often when working in the snow.

Don’t eat a heavy meal before working in the snow.

Learn about the heart attack warning signs and pay attention to your body.

Don’t drink alcohol before, or just after, working in the snow.

Learn about the dangers of hypothermia and its relation to heart problems.

Source: heart.org

At A Glance

Signs Of A Heart Attack

Chest discomfort

Discomfort in the arms, shoulders, back, neck, jaw or stomach

Shortness of breath

Breaking out in a cold sweat

Nausea

Feeling weak

Feeling faint

Feeling lightheaded

Source: Staff Report

People who are out in the snow and ice, walking, shoveling or playing, put extra stress on their heart, because it causes a spike in blood pressure, Sims said. The body is working hard to keep itself warm, and the heart may not be used to the extra work, especially if the person is not active on a regular basis.

“You need to really pace yourself,” she said. “Your body is working harder to try to maintain that core temperature.”

Cold weather can also present heart-related problems for people who have never shown symptoms before, Weathers said. An example would be a runner who puts extra stress on his or her heart by running in cold temperatures, which can lead to heart failure.

The body requires more blood to be pumped through the veins to keep them warm, making the heart work harder, Weathers said. Additional physical exertion puts more stress on the heart and if the heart can’t keep up, it can result in heart failure.

Heart failure can happen without a person’s knowledge, Weathers said. A virus like a cold or the flu, which is more common in the winter, can infect and weaken the heart. With the addition of cold and physical exertion, a virus that has infected a heart can lead to heart failure.

“It’s a dangerous time of the year for everyone, even the young,” he said.

Cold weather also poses a problem for people with heart disease, a condition where there is a build up of plaque in the arteries of the heart, Weathers said. A rise in blood pressure because of exertion during cold temperatures can cause the plaque to rupture and a blood clot to form, which can lead to a heart attack.

Reed, who has heart disease but has never had a heart attack, said he has to be careful about exerting himself when it is extremely cold.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Every year, about 715,000 people have a heart attack, and about 600,000 people die from heart disease.

Symptoms of a heart attack include chest discomfort, shortness of breath, feeling lightheaded and discomfort in the arms, back, neck or stomach, according to the American Heart Association website.

A person feeling any symptoms of a heart attack should immediately get help or go to the emergency room, Sims said. Immediacy is especially important in the winter, because it takes longer to get to an emergency room when there is snow and ice on roads.

“When it comes to a heart attack, every second counts,” she said.

Prevention is key to avoiding cold-related heart problems, Sims said. People who are out in the cold should dress warmly and wear a hat. Wind is another factor that can decrease body temperature, and people should try to protect themselves against it.

“It kind of steals away your body heat,” she said.

If shoveling a driveway or sidewalk, lift multiple small shovels of snow instead of large shovels full, Sims said. People who are playing in the snow should go indoors often to warm up.

Weathers advises people to take more time to accomplish tasks. People should give themselves twice the amount of time they normally would, because increased speed in finishing tasks can put strain on the heart.

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