Monday, August 16, 2010

Lower Temperatures Are Related To Increased Heart Attack Risk

Thursday August 12, 2010

This week, investigators reported in the British Medical Journal that even small drops in the average temperature can measurably increase the risk of heart attack.
The British researchers performed a daily time-series study, looking at over 800,000 hospital admissions for heart attacks during 2003-2006 in England and Wales. They found that for every 1 degree Celsius drop in the average daily temperature (or roughly 2 degrees Fahrenheit),  the risk of heart attack over the next 28 days increased by 2%.
Elderly individuals - age 75 to 84 - appeared to be more susceptible to colder temperatures than younger individuals.
In contrast, temperature elevations - even during heat waves - did not correlate with an increase in heart attack risk. Heat waves were associated with an increase in mortality, however, suggesting that death from high temperatures tends to occur relatively quickly, possibly before victims can be admitted to the hospital.
We have known for many years that cold temperatures are associated with an increase in cardiac risk. This study suggests that the risk can be seen even with relatively small changes in temperature.
So, if you have coronary artery disease, or if you are at increased risk for coronary artery disease, you should dress warmly, keep your home well heated, and avoid extended stays outdoors when it is cold
--*about.com" Heart Health Centre blog.
Sources:
Bhaskaran K, Hajat S, Haines A et al. Short term effects of temperature on risk of myocardial infarction in England and Wales: time series regression analysis of the Myocardial Ischaemia National Audit Project (MINAP) registry. BMJ 2010; DOI:10.1136/bmj.c3823.

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