HEART DEATHS SPIKE IN WINTER DESPITE TEMPERATURES

 

 

Winter can be deadly, at least when it comes to matters of the heart. Whether you live in a place that is hot year-round, like Arizona, or in a state with cold winters, like Pennsylvania, you're more likely to die of heart-related problems in the winter. Findings of previous studies found that heart deaths peak in winter, but there was no link to the cold. Previous research had linked lower temperatures to an increase in heart attacks and heart-related deaths. Instead, people were 26% to 36% more likely to die from a heart attack, heart failure, or other heart diseases in the winter than in the summer regardless of whether they lived in a cold, moderate, or hot climate.

 

So what is to blame for the rise in deaths in the winter months? For starters, people are not as healthy in winter as in the summer. their diet is not as good, they don't exercise as much, and they often gain weight. Flu, respiratory infections, and depression may also play a role. These factors may act in concert: for example, a person who is on cholesterol-lowering and high blood pressure medication might feel down, making them less likely to take their medication and more likely to reach for calorie and fat packed snacks.

 

One study found that people who suffer from depression and who also have heart disease are almost five times as likely to die as people who are mentally and physically healthy. Heart disease and depression so commonly go hand-in-hand that the American Heart Association recommends heart patients be routinely screened for depression. Depression may actually induce physiological changes in the body that can be damaging to the heart.

 

The bottom line: Take care of your health, no matter what the month and no matter what the temperature.

 

source:  www.webmd.com