United States: During cold winter weather, the actual risk of heart problems increases, and the number of deaths from cardiovascular diseases which (CVDs) is really higher. Health experts warn that people with heart conditions need to be extra careful with their diet and daily routine in the winter. Studies show that heart-related problems and deaths rise during the colder months.
The cases of CVDs and its spores are mediated by risk factors such as temperature, motion, pollution, infections, food habits etc. Experts say that chronic patients must alter their behavior during the winter in order to minimize their likelihood of developing potentially fatal conditions.
Patients of heart disease have to adhere to the safety measures regarding harming issues of extreme weather conditions.
As reported by thenews.com, stroke, intracerebral haemorrhage, hypertension, heart failure, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, sudden cardiac arrest, ventricular arrhythmia, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, aortic dissection, and rupture, and atrial fibrillation are considered as more deadly during the winter than in summer. Similar trends have also been observed by several research conducted in France, Spain, Japan, Scotland, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Italy, Turkey Nigeria, Canada and USA.
The admission of heart patient during winters is high compared to other seasons; admissions of heart patient during summer are low in number as compared to other seasons and so it is the situation in Pakistan.
Cold stress incurs the extent of peripheral vasoconstriction and thereby results in development of pulmonary oedema due to left ventricular failure, and further results in coagulopathy.
Also, both the systolic and diastolic mean blood pressures also have seasonal variation with highest values recorded during winter and lowest during summer in adult’s elderly and children. Low temperatures posing a great influence on pressure among both the normal and hypertensives.
Research shows that other possible seasonal risk factors such as the seasonal fluctuation in the plasma level of fibrinogen, cholesterol, hormones and vasoactive substance including vasopressin (AVP), norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (E) and angiotensin II, aldosterone and catecholamine tend to increase during winter and contribute greatly to the seasonal change of CVDs.