How Can Cold Weather Affect Heart Health?

Cold weather triggers several changes in heart health as the body tries to preserve heat. These changes not only increases the workload on heart, but also affects blood pressure and circulation. While healthy people get used to these changes, people with hypertension or existing heart disease may have to bear consequences. 

1. Blood Vessels Become Narrower

It’s a body mechanism when your skin gets chilly, vessels tighten to minimize heat dispersal. The narrow blood vessels (which technically we call vasoconstriction) changes and challenges blood flow while raising blood pressure.

2. Blood Pressure May Increase

In cold, it is more difficult for the blood to get to the extremities, and the heart must put more effort into this pumping activity. For the average population, this might put only subtle differences. However, for someone with higher blood pressure or hypertension, the changes might be rather apparent.

3. The Heart Has to Work Harder

During cold weather, the heart has to carry body heat to all the parts of the body and at the same time maintain circulation. Thus, for a heart, that is not very healthy, and in those with cardiovascular disease, this additional effort can be really challenging.

4. The Heart May Need More Oxygen

Chilly environment increases heart workload, and when one engages in some kind of physical activity, it might lead to increased heart oxygen demand.

In some patients, heart arteries are already narrower, which causes less oxygen-rich blood to get into the heart muscle, leading to chest pain and uneasiness.

5. Sudden Exercise Can Add Extra Strain

Cold and physical activity are two extremes that sometimes come together like a perfect storm. Sudden outdoor running, moving heavy things, and other intense activities will raise heart rate and oxygen demand significantly. This is especially true for people who are not physically very fit and/or those with a heart condition.

6. Circulation to the Extremities Changes

When one is in cold environment, blood flow in the peripheral areas like hands and feet gets cut down, as a result, the body prioritises maintaining its inner temperature at the expense of its peripherals.

Those who already have circulation problems might, therefore, find their hands and feet getting very cold or uncomfortable even in the winter season.

7. Cold Can Affect People With Heart Failure

Individuals with heart failure are often more susceptible to temperature variations and the additional strain on their cardiovascular system. Exposure to cold weather has also been linked to a rise of hospital admissions and cardiovascular complications mainly in vulnerable patients.

8. Cardiovascular Events May Become More Common

Maintaining a cold environment could result in an increase of cardiovascular incidents such as heart stroke and attack. However, this shouldn’t make us assume that cold weather directly leads to these types of events, for everyone. On the contrary, cold temperature can add a layer of physiological stress that could be one of the contributing factors for someone with cardiovascular health problems and underlying risk factors at the same time.

Why Are Some People More Vulnerable?

The effect caused due to cold mainly depends on the person’s age, cardiovascular health, level of physical activity, as well as the time and intensity of cold exposure. A higher degree of care during periods of colder temperatures may be needed for those with underlying risk factors as well as those with conditions such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure or history of cardiovascular events. Similarly, it might also apply to the elderly.

How Can You Protect Your Heart in Cold Weather?

Hypothermia does not entail that you must lead a physically sedentary lifestyle or confine yourself in a cozy indoors all winter. The trick is to avoid unnecessary exposure and, at the same time, to spare the cardiovascular system unexpected strains.

• Stay warm: Warming up your body reduces the work the body is forced to do to keep the core body temperature.
• Avoid overexertion: If the environment is freezing and you are still exercising, it is advisable to warm up first then ease into the exercise. It may be wise to terminate the exercise if chest pain, unusual short of breath, fainting or a sudden loss of strength occur.
• Don’t stop or change blood-pressure or heart medicine: Do not think that you can skip or even stop your heart or blood-pressure medicine just because it is getting colder. The only person able to make such a decision safely is the doctor.
• Keep healthy daily habits: It is important to maintain a regular physical activity, eat in a proper and moderate manner, and get enough time for sleeping throughout the winter, and to give up smoking.

Final Thoughts

During the cold weather, the blood vessels begin shrinking, putting the heart at extra work which increases blood pressure. These changes are usually part of the body’s normal response to cold, but they can become more significant in people with existing cardiovascular disease. 

Speak to the best cardiologist in Hisar if you are worried about your blood pressure or heart-related issues during the cold weather to get a clear picture of your risk.

Sarvesh Health City in Hisar offers cardiology services for assessment, management, and prevention of cardiovascular disease, where the team will work with you from diagnostic throughout the treatment.