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The cold puts a strain on the body, particularly the arteries and the heart. This is why the French Federation of Cardiology provides useful advice for taking care of your cardiovascular system in winter.
When temperatures drop, our body expends more energy to counter the effects of the cold and maintain body temperature. It beats faster, consumes more oxygen and our vessels contract, thus promoting blood clotting. Also, the cold increases the risk of dehydration, which reduces the fluidity of the blood and requires more effort from the heart to function normally.
Cold increases the risk of myocardial infarction
According to one study published in the British Medical Journal, each 1°C reduction in temperature increases the risk of myocardial infarction by 2% in the following 4 weeks. The periods most at risk are the first 2 weeks.
Beware of the cold cocktail + stress + tobacco
Smoking a cigarette in the cold while stressed significantly increases the risk of myocardial infarction. How ? Stress increases the heart rate, cold constricts the coronary artery and tobacco also accelerates the heart and intensifies the narrowing of the artery. The cocktail effect can completely block the coronary artery if it already has atherosclerotic plaques forming.
Tips for taking care of your heart in winter
- Cover yourself well, especially your extremities and head (especially bald men who present an increased risk of heart attack) to avoid vasoconstrictor phenomena.
- Avoid intense efforts without prior warming up which allows acclimatization to the cold. “In winter, the slightest physical activity requires a significant effort on the heart, so much so that walking in the cold would be equivalent to running 100 meters“, warns Professor Claire Mounier-Vehier, cardiologist at Lille University Hospital and President of the French Federation of Cardiology.
- Limit activities in the event of a pollution peak associated with very low temperatures : microparticles and nitric oxide increase the risk of heart attack.
- Pay attention to the slightest symptom : feeling of tightness in the chest, palpitation, shortness of breath or chest pain on exertion, dizziness. If you feel any discomfort, consult without delay.
The most vulnerable people
The most vulnerable people are those who suffer from a cardio-cerebrovascular pathology such as high blood pressure, heart failure, a history of myocardial infarction, stroke, angina, revascularization coronary or arterial (stent, bypass, etc.), or heart valve disease. Those who suffer from heart rhythm disorders are also at greater risk. People over 70 must be monitored because after a certain age, the body adapts less well to temperature variations. This applies to negative temperatures, but also to temperature variations from one day to the next. You should also know that the wind increases the sensation of cold and its harmful effects on health.
“The number of cardiovascular accidents increases in winter and they are responsible for around half of the excess mortality during this season. The coronary arteries contract (spasm), which can cause atherosclerotic plaques to rupture (Editor’s note: fatty deposits deposited on their walls). This can then induce an acute accident by thrombosis.explains Professor Mounier-Vehier.
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