The data is unequivocal. Compared to the decade 2000-2009, the people exposed to heat waves on the planet have increased by 57% in recent years. This is confirmed by a research conducted throughout Europe on 14 large urban areas, which also saw the participation of Italy with the National Research Council (CNR) and the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change (CMCC). This data certainly highlights the need for targeted political and environmental strategies, as noted in the magazine Nature Cities which hosts the publication. Because especially in urban areasthe impacts of these extreme events are particularly pronounced due to the structures that cause the so-called “heat island” effect.
But going beyond the urban planning factors, one certainty remains. Heat stress resulting from heat waves is one of the main causes of death climate-related premature deaths in Europe. Obviously the heart and circulatory system are among the structures most exposed to risk. Especially if the humidity is sky high, they create a cocktail with high temperatures that can even increase the risk of heart attack. Consider that there are studies that demonstrate how a temperature rise of just 1 degree is enough to cause an increase in mortality from cardiovascular diseases, and other research that indicates a parallel growth between increase in thermal values and growth of strokes and coronary heart disease.
Not only that. There has been research showing that during heat waves, mortality risks from heart and artery diseases and this would increase based on the increase in temperatures. In short, you have to be careful. Especially if you are at risk.
What are the circulatory disorders caused by extreme heat?
Tiredness reigns supreme. Moving seems like a feat. And it’s no wonder. If it does very hot and the humidity is sky high, the body temperature regulation system may malfunction and thus the classic risk arises dehydration if the situation is not compensated properly. And with it the copious loss of liquids and mineral salts. For this reason, problems connected to thehypotensionwith the appearance of dizziness, palpitations, a feeling of faintness, and the need to lie down.
For this reason we must not forget that liquids and mineral salts are essentiali. Otherwise we risk seeing the signs of suffering appear. They are coming headache, dizziness which arise especially when standing up, feeling ‘slowed down’ or very tired, dry mouth. These problems, it must be said, are particularly relevant for those who have to deal with hypertension, heart failure, arrhythmias, atherosclerosis.
But all people are potentially at risk. And attention is needed, also to avoid conditions that can endanger the circulatory system and increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, given that heart and vessels suffer from the sky-high humidity with extreme temperatures.
We are homeothermic animals
We are creatures of habit. Even on the physiological front. And we cannot alter too much the temperature that keeps us in well-being. can change, and therefore we must make sure to always keep ourselves in a range preordained by nature itself. In fact, man is a homeothermic animal, that is, he has an organism that must maintain an average temperature of around 37 degrees: the variations can be minimal, because our organism has over time “optimized” its natural thermostat, or the thermal control system. The goal, in an evolutionary key, is to ensure that the main parts of the body such as the brain, heart and kidneys are preserved from thermal changes, particularly those related to great heat.
Consider that some areas of the brain cannot sustain a temperature higher than 42 degrees, under penalty of irreversible damage to the neurons. When it’s hot, especially if the humidity is too highcontrol systems can work poorly. And the risks increase. Especially for people who already have problems or in any case do not have body temperature regulation mechanisms that work at their best, as can happen especially in the elderly and in children or in those who perhaps have a thyroid that does not work as it should.
This is how the pressure drops
Hot and humid. This is the climate perception we have in these days of great heat. When these two elements are associated, the body reacts. And the circulatory system is on the front line. First of all by inducing a vasodilationor an enlargement of the caliber of the arterial blood vessels. This reaction occurs especially at certain times of the day, for example after eating with blood being “stolen” from the digestive system and therefore may be insufficient for the brain and heart.
Obviously, physical effort increases the risks. But what happens? If temperature and humidity rise, the body needs to disperse heat, well beyond the classic response of sweating. And it does so with vasodilation, or with the arteries that “increase” their caliber. This condition can therefore be associated with a drop in blood pressure and an increase in heart ratethen to tachycardia, even in perfectly healthy people although obviously those who already have cardiovascular problems are at greater risk. In the end, in short, the heat makes the heart work harder, causes sweating and loss of fluids, thus exposing one to the risk of dehydration.
Beware of temperature changes
A dream, air conditioning. But environmental air conditioning, whether it is in the office, at home or in the car, must be managed intelligently. Because the sudden temperature changes can be a real challenge for the adaptation mechanisms of the circulatory system: the sudden transition from high external temperatures to much lower thermal levels, for example for air conditioning systems in closed environments, can lead to the need for the organism to react immediately, creating a thermal “stress” which can also have repercussions on the heart.
You need to be careful especially if you overdo physical activity, perhaps by demanding excessive performance from your body: the effort in a hot and humid climate can accelerate the dehydration process, so It is essential to drink and ensure you get the necessary mineral salts and above all, you should avoid the central hours of the day to do intense physical activity.
Among the warnings, a piece of advice for gourmets too: even at the table you should not overdo it” by avoiding relying on coffee and alcohol to replenish liquids because they can increase dehydration. Better cold soups, salads and fruit, better if in light meals.
Pollution increases risks
As if the heat were not enough, even air pollutants negatively affect the heart, multiplying the risks. Just think that theexposure to particulate matter can induce direct vascular damage through an increase in oxidative processes in arterial wall cells, and promotes inflammation.
What happens next? Basically the arteries try to defend themselves, but this is not a positive factor. The defense mechanisms lead to production of free radicalswith inflammation that tends to promote blood clotting. Therefore, especially if the blood is very thick, there is a greater risk of developing atherosclerosis with the risk that a plaque on an artery becomes unstable and breaks. If it happens on a coronary artery, this can cause the risk of heart attack.
Also this season we have to deal with ozone. Those who have a heart and circulatory system that are not particularly healthy or suffer from chronic diseases can therefore see problems increase, because breathing is not optimal, especially if you do intense physical effort.
What to do if you suffer from heart disease
Caution. It takes a lot of attention to always remember to fight dehydration. You have to always offer the body salts and liquidsto compensate for losses. Whether you are undergoing treatment or feeling well. Regardless of the therapies you are undergoing, everyone must take in adequate amounts of electrolytes. Adiet based on fruits and vegetables containing potassium, calcium, magnesium It is essential for providing the body with the ions necessary for cardiovascular health.
Among people undergoing drug treatment, two categories deserve special attention. First, you need to be careful those taking antihypertensive drugs: by adhering to the doctor’s prescriptions and consulting him specifically, it is possible to apply dosage adjustments, reducing the dosage and, in some cases, if the blood pressure values are too low, interrupting the administration occasionally and in a controlled manner. These variations must always be agreed with the doctor and automatically imply the need to measure the blood pressure more frequently.
The second category of patients who require more attention are those who use diuretics. Due to the loss of liquids and salts caused by sweating, very frequent in subjects with hypertension and heart failure, there is a risk of incurring dehydration and loss of electrolytes, making it appropriate to remodulate the therapy with diuretics or in any case hydro-electric supplementation.
Finally, remember that in the mountains a reduction in blood oxygenation can occur. Any mountain vacation must be approached with parameters that guarantee precautions. It is necessary reach an altitude of no more than 1000-1200 metres and climb progressivelywith a break of a few hours every 500-600 meters. And if the heart is not working at its best, it is best to avoid intense physical activity in the first few days to allow the system that produces and regulates blood cells (including obviously red blood cells and the hemoglobin they contain, which transports oxygen) as well as the circulatory system to adapt to the altitude.
