Cold weather may increase the risk of heart attack

Recent research has shown a higher rate of heart attack when air temperature is below freezing. In a recent large study based on data collected from 274,000 patients across Sweden, people with heart attacks from 1998 to 2013 were associated with cold and cloudy weather.

The incidence of heart attacks increases when the air temperature and pressure in the air are low , the wind speed is high, the illumination time is shorter and is particularly related to the air temperature. Researcher David Erlinge, a professor of cardiology at Lund University in Sweden, said: 'This is the largest study of the relationship between weather and heart attacks. You can protect yourself when you know what causes a heart attack. '

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in developed countries.(Illustration).

The rate of heart attack is higher when the air temperature is below freezing and decreases significantly when the temperature increases 3 - 4 degrees. At the same time, it is the cause of different types of heart attacks and the most common is the obstruction of coronary arteries that supply the heart with blood. Erlinge thinks that when it is cold and windy, heart attacks occur when blood vessels contract and contract to store energy and temperature, causing pressure on the heart's activity. Also heart attack can be caused by behavioral changes such as eating habits, exercise, or from the risk of respiratory infections such as the cold season flu.

Erlinge added: 'cold weather and wind increase stress along with heart attack' . Erlinge, along with the research team, also based on air pollution data related to heart structure changes and said: 'We look at the day-to-day data on air pollution in three major Swedish cities. for 16 years and concluded that it does not change the results of research on the relationship between weather and the risk of heart attack. '

Chris Gale, professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Leeds, said: 'There are more than 100,000 heart attacks every year in the UK. Every effort to reduce this health burden is necessary. We should be prepared for health and wellness, making sure the body is warm. If the climate changes, the weather worsens and sudden changes, cardiovascular health may be affected. ' Previous studies have reported an increase in heart disease death rates in the winter, and recent research indicates the incidence of heart attacks associated with cold and snow temperatures. In a recent report, Jama Cardiology warned whether staying indoors and wearing warm clothing to avoid exposure to cold air may reduce the risk or need further study.