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'Tis the Season to Protect Your Heart
Worldwide, more heart attacks
occur during winter than at any
other time of year. Researchers
aren’t sure why this is the case. But they
do know it’s not necessarily because of
cold weather.
Why Winter Is Risky
Experts believe that causes may include
the following:
- Flu and other infections. These are more common in the winter months — even in tropical climates. In one study,
researchers found that a person’s risk of
heart attack was temporarily tripled in
the 10 days following an acute respiratory
tract infection.
- Snow. Researchers in Minnesota found that the amount of snowfall, and possibly the physical stress of shoveling all that
snow, was more closely linked to heart
attack deaths than was temperature.
- The holiday season. In a study of deaths in Los Angeles County, the highest number of heart attacks occurred around
January 1. "The emotional stresses of the
holidays, coupled with people’s tendency
to overindulge in food and alcohol
during this time, may be factors in heart
attack rates," says Michele Lanza, M.D.,
a family practitioner affiliated with
Ocean Medical Center.
What You Can Do
To reduce your risk, consider the following:
- Maintain heart-healthy habits. A low-fat diet, regular exercise, and not smoking
are the keys to good health year-round.
- Ask your doctor about the flu shot.
"The flu can be life-threatening," says
Dr. Lanza. "Adults age 50 and older
and patients with heart disease or other
chronic illnesses are especially at risk."
In a study of heart attack patients,
those who received a flu shot lowered
their risk of a second heart attack by
67 percent.
- Be careful outdoors.
If you have heart
disease or high blood pressure, check
with your doctor before shoveling snow
or engaging in outdoor physical activities.
And when you’re outside, don’t
overdo it: Your body is already working
hard just to stay warm.
- Know the heart attack warning signs.
These may include chest pain as well as
shoulder, neck, or arm pain; dizziness,
fainting, sweating, or nausea; or shortness
of breath. If you think you’re having
a heart attack, seek medical
help immediately.
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