An analysis of data from over 2.3 million Europeans revealed a correlation between low temperatures and an increase in mortality from cardiovascular disease, especially in low-income areas. Patients with heart conditions are more likely to die in hot weather, which has been linked to an increase in cardiovascular-related mortality.
Heart health and climate change — A current study
The planet’s climate is shifting, and in many places the average temperature is rising. Humans are a major contributor to this shift by emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Health in general, and cardiac health, is negatively impacted by climate change. Particularly at risk are those with underlying diseases, such as the elderly, those with physically demanding jobs, and those with cardiovascular disease.
The present study was carried out by the researchers from University of Oslo. Professor Stefan Agewall mentioned that the effects of climate change include both an increase in global average temperature and the onset of severe cold in some parts of the world. Intense heatwaves caused more than 70,000 deaths across Europe in the summer of 2003. There are more fatalities and hospitalizations because of the cold weather as well.
Prior research into the effects of heat and cold on the circulatory system mostly relied on summaries of data, such as daily death rates in a city. Using individual-level data, the EXHAUSTION project has been able to pinpoint at-risk populations in need of preventative measures, thereby making them more resistant to weather-related disruptions in the future.
According to the findings of the study, exposure to cold weather is related with an increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease in general and ischemic heart disease especially. Furthermore, the study found that exposure to cold weather was associated with an increased risk of new onset of ischaemic heart disease. When the temperature dropped from 5°C to -5°C, which is about 18°F, the risk of dying from heart disease went up by 19%.
Overall, the study population did not show any negative reactions to heat. Conversely, in patients who already had heart disease, increase in temperature from 15 to 24°C were related with 25% and 30% higher odds of death from cardiovascular disease and stroke, respectively.
Correlation of Temperature Shifts
A young, robust athlete’s death from heat stroke left a lasting impression on Dr. Martha Gulati, Past Chief of Cardiology at University of Arizona. The year was 1995, and a deadly heat wave had just hit Chicago. Dr. Gulati worriedly observed the intensification of heat catastrophes and the warming climate in the decades that followed.
Wildfires, storms, droughts, heat waves, and cold spells that have resulted in starvation and drought have become more frequent and severe worldwide following that heat wave in 1995. The prevalence of heart disease is rising because of these dramatic shifts, say medical professionals.
Current global conditions are not heart friendly. Although managing one’s blood pressure and cholesterol levels are two of the most critical factors in preventing heart disease, it’s also essential to consider environmental factors.
Temperature fluctuations appear to be associated with an increase in the incidence of heart attacks, although the reasons for this association are unclear. The ability of the body to maintain a constant core temperature may be compromised by the severe weather conditions, according to researchers.
Dr. Sadeer Al-Kindi, Cardiologist at University Hospitals, explains this as the climate penalty. He added that climate change’s extreme weather has the potential to amplify and disperse those unseen substances that are harmful to human bodies.
“Fires, winds, heat, and cold driven by climate change increase the production and distribution of these pollutants. [Climate change] both directly elevates the number of particles in the air that people breathe in but also indirectly by causing droughts, famine, malnutrition, and limiting accessibility to care.”
To conclude
According to First Street Foundation Study’s reports heat readings of above 125°F are predicted for at least one day per year by 2053 in 1,023 counties. An area that is home to over 107 million Americans and encompasses a fourth of the territory in the United States.
Doctors acknowledge that protecting yourself from the impacts of climate change is essential to maintaining heart health, in addition to not smoking, eating healthy, sleeping well, and engaging in regular physical activity. Reducing plastic waste, taking public transportation, recycling, avoiding red meat, and lobbying for policies to help prevent increasing climate change are all things that researchers urge society to do.
“The impact of climate change is not a question of whether it’s happening—it is happening, and we are seeing evidence of it every day. If we don’t act now, we won’t save lives and our job as physicians is to save lives.” Said Dr. Gulati.
