Dr Paramdeep Singh Sandhu
Heart attack is most common in the winter season says: Dr. Paramdeep Singh Sandhu, Senior Consultant Intervention Cardiologist, Fortis Hospital Ludhiana and visiting Consultant at Healthline Multispecialty Clinic’s, Resham Ghar Colony, Jammu.
Before you go out to shovel snow or start your new exercise routine, learn about your personal heart attack risk.
Cold weather, being indoors more often, stress, lack of vitamin D and changes in the daylight to nighttimes ratio all play a key role in increasing a person’s overall risk of cardiac problems during the winter. There’s also something about the holiday season that seems to be hard on the heart—Christmas and New Year’s top the list of dangerous days for cardiovascular problems and death.
“Classic heart attack is marked by pain in the chest that may radiate down the left arm, but sometimes it may feel more like a muscle pull. The pain usually lasts more than a few minutes and can wax and wane in intensity.” The heart is a muscle, and the pain could be from a clogged artery in the heart, but the pain can radiate, making it appear to be a pulled muscle in the back or neck. A report published in the Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, (Decmber-2013) establishes the fact that the rate of heart disease-related deaths (as well as deaths from other causes), rises sharply between December 25th and January 7th. In fact, the death rate reaches its peak on Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
“Exactly why winter is prime time for heart attack is still an evolving story, but many theories exist and possibly overlap. During the winter months, there is a change in the ratio of daylight hours to dark hours, which changes the hormonal balance, and the hormones involved, such as cortisol, can lower the threshold for a cardiovascular event, but that’s not all that’s going on. Cold temperatures cause arteries to tighten, restricting blood flow and reducing the oxygen supply to the heart, all of which can set the stage for a heart attack. In cold weather, there is more oxygen demand by the heart because it is working harder to do the work and maintain body heat.
In terms of preventing a heart attack this winter, ‘knowledge is the greatest tool’. Being aware is important, and if you are at risk for heart disease and have not been exerting yourself in the morning and want to switch to a.m. hours, cut back on the level and duration of the activity, start an exercise regimen under the supervision of your doctor if you have heart disease risk factors, and even if you don’t, start slow.” Beginning your new routine gradually is not only less taxing on your body, but it’s also easier to stick to. Also, talk to your doctor about what your heart disease risk factors are.
It’s also important to watch what you eat and drink during the winter months, People eat more, drink more, smoke more, and gain more weight during the holiday season. Also, holiday period is very stressful in terms of family issues as it may bring up financial pressure. Anxiety and depression tend to reach zenith for some people around the holiday season and are also linked to heart attack and stroke.
If you have risk factors related to heart disease like high cholesterol and high blood pressure, see your doctor and make sure you are on the right regimen and treatment plan.
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