Winter comes with some of the major risk factors for heart diseases, respiratory diseases and highly contagious viruses. People often view the danger as hypothermia or frostbite. This dropped temperature during winter directly impacts your health and brings people of heart disease to maximum risk of heart attack or cardiac arrest.
Why do heart attack cases increase in winter?
Heart attacks are common in the winter season. There are several theories mentioning the cause of heart attacks in winter.
The main risk factor is the body’s physiological mechanism – In the human body, we have an autonomic nervous system of which one component is the sympathetic nervous system whose activation increases in winter and narrows our blood vessels, and this narrowing is called vasoconstriction. This also leads to an increase in the blood pressure of the body. Due to the vasoconstriction, the blood flow is decreased and the heart needs to work extra hard to pump the blood and keep the body temperature maintained. The cold wind in winter makes it difficult to keep the body’s temperature maintained and lose heat quickly which leads to hypothermia which can damage the muscles of the heart.
Another main risk factor is oxygen requirement – In the winter season, the oxygen density in the atmosphere becomes low. Hence, the oxygen demand of the heart increases. Due to vasoconstriction (narrowing of the artery) and decreased temperature, the flow of blood is restricted around the heart so a reduced amount of oxygen reaches the heart and this demand-supply mismatch may cause a heart attack.
Sometimes you may get affected by one of these factors, physical inactivity or emotional stress which contributes to an increased risk of heart attack in winter. So you should be more cautious and take extra precautions about it as per the top cardiologist of Lucknow.
- Dress according to the weather: Cover the whole body with a layer of clothes to avoid cold especially wearing hats, gloves and socks.
- Keep yourself warm: Take a short break to make yourself warm, if you work outside.
- Limit excess alcohol: You feel warmer than actual after consumption of alcohol which may lead to increased risk when you are outside.
- Control your risk factors like diabetes, hypertension and smoking.
- Help yourself: If you find any irritation in your chest and near areas then don’t delay in reaching the hospital for treatment.
Heart attack warning signs and symptoms:
If you feel severe chest pain which is unbearable and radiating to your neck, shoulder and hand, it’s the most common symptom of heart attacks. Symptoms may vary for men and women. Men occasionally complain of nausea and dizziness whereas women complain of atypical symptoms like dizziness and unexplained fatigue. Refer to the below infographics for more details.
Stay healthy and keeping your heart health maintained is the most important thing which can help you live longer with activeness, here are a few tips for this winter season:
- Eat a healthy heart diet
- Regular exercise for at least 30 minutes
- Manage your stress
- Maintain your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels controlled.
- If you feel something irritating in your body, meet your physician
