Cardiovascular Disease Risk Increases in Winter

There is an increase in the rate of cardiovascular disease during winter because many people don't know how to rug up against the cold, an Australian study has found.

Dr Adrian Barnett from Queensland University of Technology's (QUT's) Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI) said the numbers showed that winters in Australia posed a greater risk to health than winters in cold northern European countries such as Finland and Sweden.

Diet, Lifestyle and Heart Disease
The correlation between diet, lifestyle and heart disease. The importance of balanced diet life style and exercise for controlling heart disease.

"Preventing heart-related deaths in the next few months could be as simple as putting on a hat and gloves because the peak season for cardiovascular deaths is upon us," said Barnett.

"When the temperature goes below 19 degrees in Australia the death rate from heart and circulatory problems goes up.

"We are not very good at protecting ourselves against the cold weather, we don't wear the right sort of clothes in winter and are homes are often not well insulated.

Animation of heart attack symptoms
Heart attack can cause symptoms such as Chest pain or discomfort, Shortness of breath and pain in neck, back, arm, or shoulder and is due to blockage of blood supply to the heart muscles

"Exposure to the cold raises blood pressure because the veins and arteries constrict, which puts extra stress on the heart and circulatory system that can be a real problem for people with some atherosclerosis.

"Elderly people are particularly at risk because they are frailer, their perception of temperature fades and they do not register cold as much," he added.

Blood Pressure Chart
Blood pressure is the pressure of the blood flowing through your blood vessels against the vessel walls. Just by entering you age, you can get the accurate range of blood pressure value.

He said that Australians knew how to cope with heat, but in winter people just didn't know how to get warm enough.

"We can easily cope with 30 degrees, which people in northern Europe cannot do, but we are very fragile creatures when the temperature drops, even if it is only around 15 degrees," he said.

"Perth and Sydney lead the country in winter heart-related deaths and Tasmanians cope best with the cold because they are acclimatised to cooler weather.

"Darwin is not too bad because it doesn't get so cold," he added.

Barnett said putting on thermals, hats, gloves and slippers was more effective than heaters.

"Indoor heaters are not the answer, people tend to heat just one room and when they move to other rooms they get cold," he said.

Source-ANI
THK