Heart attack: running when it is cold is dangerous for these people, warns a cardiologist

It’s cold, it’s windy and even snowy… However, some runners enjoy jogging in winter. Isn’t that dangerous for the heart? “The cold triggers a reflex reaction : the runner may suffer from vasoconstriction coronary arteries (those that supply blood to the heart)“, explains Professor Hervé Douard, cardiologist and vice-president of the French Federation of Cardiology. And this reduction in the caliber of blood vessels can lead to serious cardiac events as angina Or a myocardial infarction.

“The association of cold and tobacco is very bad”

“In a large study published in the journal Circulation, Canadian researchers followed people with coronary problems and compared the results of their exercise tests carried out at a temperature of 20°C and at a temperature of -10°C. At the end of their analysis, they noted an increase in ischemia of around 3 to 4% when the exercise was carried out at negative temperatures. It is therefore a known and proven phenomenon. Nevertheless, this heart risk is very low in a person healthy and young“. Above all, it must be taken into account:

• In people of over 50 years old
• In people who have atherosclerotic plaques Or cardiovascular risk factors (overweight, obesity, hypertension, etc.)
• In people who have history or who currently have cardiovascular pathologies (heart attack, coronary heart disease, etc.)
• Among smokers: “The association of cold and tobacco is very bad: smoking, like cold, considerably reduces the size of the coronary arteries“, explains the specialist.
• In people who have respiratory diseases (asthmatics, history of pneumonia, etc.)

8 tips from the cardiologist for running in cold weather

The cardiologist does not however prohibit the practice of jogging when it’s cold, even in people at risk. However, when the temperature is below -3 or -4 degrees, we abstain. “Running in cold weather must be accompanied by precautions. Everyone must respect themand even more so the most vulnerable people“, insists Professor Douard.

1. Cover your face with a hood (anti-cold silk hood type) or a thin, light scarf wrapped around the mouth so as not to inhale too much fresh air and irritate the respiratory tract.
2. Cover your headfrom which dissipates approximately 30% of body heat. “Think to put on a hat especially if you are bald or have very little hair“, advises our interlocutor.
3. Protect your hands with synthetic gloves and his feet with technical socks or merino wool, two materials that retain heat and wick away sweat. The extremities are more sensitive to cold and are often subject to lower blood flow. At the foot, Gore-Tex© sneakers or waterproof trail shoes.
4. For the rest of the body: wear 3 layers: the first must be close to the body (second skin) in breathable material, the second must be lighter and the third, thicker like a running vest or a windproof and water-repellent jacket.
5. Always warm up before a sports sessionwhatever the physical activity, even more so in winter because the muscles take longer to heat up: “The ideal is to start your run more slowly for 5 to 10 minutes and gradually increase the pace“, advises the cardiologist. Especially since warming up the body improves blood oxygenation and reduces the risk of muscle injury.
6. During the race: breathe through your nose so that the air warms up in the nasal cavity before entering the lungs.
7. Don’t ignore recovery: “it is advisable not to stop suddenly but to gradually reduce the pace of your strides“, he says.
8. For smokers: “do not smoke for at least 2 hours before and 2 hours after jogging“, he concludes.