18.07.2021 – 09:58
“Ask the doctor” is the newest section, a platform that enables contact between doctor and patient.
If you have any questions about everything that concerns you in your health, here you will get answers from experienced doctors, without booking appointments and avoiding long queues.
Patients: What is the risk of high temperatures for the heart?
Doctor: When the ambient temperature is higher than the body temperature, sweating is the only efficient cooling mechanism available to the human body.
However, this translates into fluid loss, which in turn lowers blood pressure.
This process does not pose the same problem for most individuals as long as they consume fluids to protect themselves from dehydration.
However, be careful!
In case you have heart problems, extreme heat carries a number of added risks that can hinder the work of the heart and blood circulation, so it is especially important to show special care especially in cases when you suffer or are affected by:
hypertension
Patients suffering from hypertension often experience low blood pressure as the presence of high temperatures causes dilation of blood vessels as well as fluid loss (dehydration).
Consequently, this category of patients needs to reduce the dose of medication and increase the amount of salt consumed in the diet.
However special care should be taken as high dehydration can become the cause for hypertensive crisis.
Angina pectoris (chest pain)
In the summer season, the blood vessels are more relaxed & wider than usual.
Therefore, special care should be taken in the case of patients who use glyceryl trinitrate spray to relieve chest pain because glyceryl trinitrate spray dilates blood vessels for a very short time, and consequently immediately lowers blood pressure. arterial causing debulsion & fatigue.
Imiocardial infarction
In cases where the patient has previously suffered a myocardial infarction, the heart fails to pump blood with the same intensity as that of a healthy heart & we are dealing with a condition which is called heart failure.
This pathology puts the patient at risk of fluid accumulation, especially in the lungs, a situation which, if it occurs, could be fatal to the patient’s life. Therefore, in such cases cardiologists recommend limiting fluid intake or even taking diuretic medications. However, fluid loss, especially during the summer season, causes dehydration and loss of mineral salts, resulting in further aggravation of the patient’s condition.
For the most effective management of this situation, it is very important to minimize exposure to high temperatures as well as periodic consultations with cardiologists.
Heat Stroke
Dehydration. Loss of a significant amount of body fluids) increases the body’s internal temperature and if left untreated, can pose a threat to patients’ lives.
Symptoms of heat stroke include dizziness, sweating, dizziness, loss of sensation, muscle aches, edema (swelling) of the joints, difficulty breathing, nausea or vomiting.
This situation certainly poses an increased risk and can be fatal for patients with heart problems as it further aggravates their condition.
Tips for cardiac patients – How to protect yourself from high temperatures?
If you belong to the category of patients over the age of 50 and suffer from obesity & cardiac pathology, you need to take a series of precautions to minimize the impact of high temperatures on your health and respectively:
– Perform periodic check-ups with cardiologists regardless of whether you are healthy but want to start physical activity and especially if you suffer from chronic pathology or complain of the presence of symptoms characteristic of heart disease.
– If you are exposed to high temperatures it is important to consume water regardless of whether you are not thirsty.
– Some medications such as diuretics, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blockers can increase the body’s sensitivity to heat, but nevertheless it is very important not to stop taking medication without consulting a specialist. as well as continue to be rigorous in adhering to the hours of their receipt.
Tips for everyone
Specialists recommend avoiding exposure to high temperatures especially during peak hours (between midday and around 17:00 in the afternoon) as well as staying hydrated as you risk being affected by health problems caused by high temperatures.
If you have decided to exercise, cardiologists recommend:
-Performing a preliminary examination to confirm the health condition regardless of the presence or absence of health problems.
-Choose appropriate clothing so that the body stays as fresh as possible
It is recommended to use light & hygienic clothes such as: cotton clothes, light colors, and do not forget to apply sunscreen, put on a hat & sun size in case you will exercise in nature.
-Stay hydrated
It is recommended to consume water before, during and after exercise. Avoid caffeinated beverages as well as alcoholic beverages.
Take breaks during physical activity
Always choose cool places to do physical activity, take a few minutes rest interval, drink water and you can start again.
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