The findings, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress (ESC 2024), underscore the need to understand the physiological effects of global warming’s contribution to cold weather in specific regions and the cardiac risks associated with cold.
“This study reveals that short-term exposure to low air temperatures and cold spells is associated with an increased risk of hospitalization for myocardial infarction (MI) 2-6 days later, suggesting that individuals may be particularly susceptible to acute cardiac events during periods of cold stress (heat load on the body),” said Wenli Ni, lead author of the study from Harvard University.
JACC Editor-in-Chief Dr. Harlan Krumholz noted that the study reveals a crucial link between exposure to cold weather and the risk of heart attacks, highlighting the delayed effect that peaks days after the cold snap.
“These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions to protect vulnerable populations during and after cold stress in particular,” he added.
Heart attacks occur when blood flow to part of the heart is blocked, usually by a blood clot. This blockage prevents oxygen from reaching the heart muscle, causing damage or death of that part of the muscle.
Previous studies have shown that low temperatures have a greater cardiovascular burden than high temperatures around the world.
Because there was no data from colder regions with extreme weather conditions, the researchers conducted the study in Sweden, a region known for its cold climate.
The team tracked 120,380 individuals from the SWEDEHEART registry, examining how short-term exposure to low air temperatures and cold spells affected the risk of hospitalization for heart attacks during the cold season in Sweden (October to March) from 2005 to 2019.
The results revealed that exposure to low air temperatures was associated with an increased risk of total myocardial infarction, non-obstructive myocardial infarction, and congestive myocardial infarction two to six days later.
However, Dr. Krumholz emphasized that the effects of cold weather on heart health can be delayed by adopting behavioral modifications during cold weather, such as staying indoors to reduce exposure.
Source: Medical Express
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2024-09-04 21:32:09
