Cold weather can be dangerous medically: DAK
With surge in heart attacks and strokes during winter, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) today said that sudden drop in temperature increases the risk.Asserting winter as risk for these diseases,President DAK Dr Nisar ul Hassan in a statement issued here said that the number of heart attack and stroke patients in Kashmir doubles during winter.
“Frigid temperatures constrict arteries that increase blood pressure which makes heart attack or stroke more likely,” Dr Hassan said.
“Blood tends to be thicker and become stickier during extreme cold which makes it easier to clot.
Cold weather can be dangerous for anyone, but it is particularly dangerous for people with existing heart disease.” DAK said that Winter is the most common season for heart attacks and data shows that there are 53% more heart attacks in winter than in summer.
According to a study from ‘European Study of Cardiology’ the risk of heart disease was highest in winter and many heart disease factors such as blood pressure, total cholesterol and waist circumference were higher in winter.
A paper published in ‘European Journal of Epidemiology’ found that for every 2.9 degree centigrade decline in temperature, the number of strokes in the general population goes up by 11%.
But among those already at high risk due to raised blood pressure, smoking or being overweight the increase is 30%.
Lack of sunlight during winter leaves people vitamin D deficient and they have a higher risk of dying from heart disease or stroke.
Flu of winter heightens the risk of these cases and those having underlying heart diseases are most likely to get complications from flu.
People should stay inside when it is really cold and during outdoor exercise they should wear plenty of layers to stay warm.
Avoidance of unhealthy food, annual flu shot and maintaining vitamin D level will protect people from health risks of cold.
