Heat wave: Doctors urge locals with heart disease to stay safe this weekend

2022-07-23 04:36:32 By : Ms. Kristine Zong

As high temperatures sweep the region this weekend, medical experts caution those with heart conditions to stay cool and be vigilant.

Sunny, 90-degree days may encourage families to head outdoors, but research shows that those with heart conditions are at a much higher risk of health complications during intense heat waves. Temperature spikes increase the risk of stroke, heart attack and heart failure in those with cardiovascular issues.

"Even without heart issues, people can suffer heat strokes and become sick," said Dr. Valentyna Ivanova, a cardiologist with Allegheny Health Network. "But the people who have heart issues are in an even more dire situation."

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Intense heat can present risks for anybody in a community, but those with heart conditions and cardiovascular disease are at a much higher risk of death.

This danger is often a result of the way the body adjusts itself to the heat, as the human body's method of cooling down can restrict blood flow and cause internal stress in an attempt to cool off. There are several ways that the body can attempt to cool itself during hot weather, but the two major processes use the skin and are known as evaporation and radiation.

Evaporation is more commonly known as sweating, which allows the body to release water and cool down as the sweat is released into the atmosphere. Sweating can affect western Pennsylvania residents much differently than those in other parts of the country during heat waves.

"When we try to sweat in dry weather, it works good," Ivanova said. "But the majority of the time where we live here in the Pittsburgh region, it's not very dry and it's more humid a lot of times during the summer. When you sweat, that sweat evaporates and we cool ourselves down. Here, if there's a humid situation, then you cannot evaporate all this fluid on the surface of your skin and it is staying on your skin, which can heat you even more."

The other process is known as radiation, which allows the body to transfer heat to the surrounding area by dilating various vessels and capillaries on the skin. Through increasing this area, the body can then transfer heat back into the environment and reduce the body's internal temperatures. This process is best done when a person is moved into a cool environment, which allows the body to transfer more of this heat faster.

Both of these cool-down methods can greatly increase blood pressure, creating a dangerous flow of blood and more strain on the heart for those with known, or even unknown, heart conditions.

"When blood pressure is dropping, the heart needs to pump much, much faster and does much more work to maintain that blood pressure," Ivanova said.

For those who have had heart attacks or strokes, the harsh heat and the body's cooling process can cause them to struggle internally as the heart pumps two or three times as much blood to compensate. Those who have suffered from cardiovascular disease or heart issues may start to feel pain or discomfort from the heat as this process becomes overwhelming, potentially leading to another immediate health issue.

As risks remain high during the summer heat, there are a few ways that those with heart disease can help prevent complications while enjoying the weather.

Remaining properly hydrated is key for anyone, but those with heart disease should ensure that they are constantly adding fluids to their bodies. As the body continues to produce sweat and labor the body, good hydration ensures everything inside of the body can work properly by providing relief to the heart and other organs.

It may be tempting to have a steady line of your favorite mixed drinks or iced tea during the heat, but Ivanova says that the best option for hydration is a glass of water.

"Plain water would be the best solution at this point of time, maybe with some electrolytes added, but not much sugar because a lot of people with heart disease are diabetic," Ivanova said. "Avoid any caffeinated beverages or alcohol, so not to increase the dehydration."

Another easy way to avoid the heat is by staying out of the sun during the most intense parts of the day, particularly during the morning and afternoon while the sun is at its highest point. The best time to go outside on these hot days is usually around 5 p.m. as the sun begins to descend, reducing temperatures and creating plenty of cool shadows to relax in.

Dressing properly for the weather can also help, as people are encouraged to wear light and reflective colors to battle the heat. By combining breathable fabrics and these bright colors, those with heart disease can cool down quicker when needed.

When treating heart disease with medications, such as beta blockers and diuretics, it can be important to understand the internal effects that these medicines cause on the body and how they affect body heat. Many heart medications will restrict the flow of blood or add additional water to the body, which can have adverse effects during high temperatures and the body's natural cooling process.

"By decreasing their heart rate, these pills are working really well for the treatment of the heart disease, but in the heat, when we have dilated vessels and heart is trying to pump faster and fill those vessels that are dilated with enough blood supply to the organs and give away the heat, it creates a kind of mismatch situation," Ivanova said.

"Beta blockers suppress that, so people will not be able to give so much blood and so much heat away because they cannot augment their output of the heart and they're going to be even more overheated."

Some medications may also have skin-related side effects on sunny days.

"Some of the medications can increase the photosensitivity of the skin," Ivanova said.

If experiencing symptoms such as fever or feeling faint, a person should be moved to a cooler environment and begin hydrating to reduce their internal temperature. By staying out of the sun for an extended period of time, those recovering can get back on their feet.

For more serious symptoms, those with heart disease should immediately have a family member or friend call 911 for immediate medical attention. Some of these symptoms may include intense headaches, loss of vision, muscle twitching, cramps, blackouts and heart palpitations.

Ivanova also advises family members to leave transportation to EMS in serious situations, as symptoms may worsen on the way to the emergency room.

"I wouldn't recommend anyone driving themselves to the hospital in this situation," Ivanova said. "The relatives also shouldn't do the driving, especially for people who have underlying known heart disease and get heatstroke symptoms.

"It can be dangerous because the situation can become dire and very serious on the way and there is no way to provide any help while they're driving. It's worth staying at home, trying to hydrate and waiting for EMS, because they have all the equipment to use from get-go for resuscitation or helping the situation."