The sunny but cold winter weather can be dangerous for people with cardiovascular disease. The German Heart Foundation therefore advises cardiac patients not to overstrain at temperatures below freezing. Studies have shown that certain heart diseases increase in the winter months. People with these conditions should therefore be careful:
- coronary heart disease (CHD)
- after a heart attack
- Angina pectoris complaints
- high blood pressure
- heart failure
- atrial fibrillation
- deep leg vein thrombosis
In addition, there are first indications of correlations between the colder months and the more common occurrence of strokes , pulmonary embolism and certain cardiac arrhythmias .
The reason for the extra burden on the heart: At low temperatures, the blood vessels of the skin and other parts of the body can become severely constricted. This raises blood pressure and the heart has to pump the blood through the body for greater resistance. The constant stress can damage the heart muscle and the vessel walls.
The German Heart Foundation advises those affected to avoid great efforts. If the patient is below freezing, cardiac patients should wrap a scarf around their mouth and nose for protection, so that the air reaches the respiratory tract preheated. If you get breathless while doing sports outside, you should immediately return to the warmth and have the symptoms cleared up by a doctor. Everyone should know these alarm signals for a heart attack:
- strong pain
- massive tightness
- fierce burning
- Nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath and upper abdominal pain
- Cold sweat with cold, pale skin
In icy temperatures, people with cardiovascular disease should move sports activities better inside , advises Stefan Sack, chief physician of the Department of Cardiology, Pulmonology and Intensive Care Medicine and the emergency center of the Munich clinic Schwabing. "Even when skiing, it should be slower to take on people with increased risk and to renounce strenuous outdoor winter sports activities."
He also advises to take medication in consultation with the doctor in the morning , because the blood pressure is then usually highest. In acute chest pain sufferers should also have a nitro spray as an emergency drug. People with pre-existing coronary diseases should also prefer to leave the snow shedding to others .
In addition, it is important to keep warm - even at home . "For fear of high heating costs, many people do not heat up properly in winter, and a too cold apartment can noticeably increase blood pressure," says Sack.
Even people without pre-existing conditions should protect themselves from the cold. Although it has not been proven that too-thin clothing causes more colds, at low temperatures viruses survive longer without the host. In addition, many spend more time together in closed rooms in winter, which increases the risk of infection. Heating air also dries out the mucous membranes and makes it easier for pathogens to settle.
Anyone who wants to avoid infections should ventilate regularly, wash their hands and keep their distance from the cold . Nevertheless, if pathogens have spread, only cure . Only when cold symptoms no longer occur, those affected should do sports again. "Anyone who goes jogging in spite of a cold or otherwise does sport puts a strain on the heart and risks serious health consequences," warns Sack. "If a heart muscle disorder already exists, this can cause life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias, among other things."