Warning For Heart Disease Patients: Be Extra Careful In Extremely Hot Weather, Say Experts

India is on an alert due to extremely hot weather for the past few weeks. Experts have warned that people with heart problems are more likely to suffer from complications during a heatwave.

Written By: Arushi Bidhuri | Updated : May 4, 2022 5:04 PM IST

High temperatures and heat can make people more susceptible to multiple health problems. While dehydration, exhaustion, cramps and more have been associated with the heatwave, it can lead to heart problems too. With summers here, extreme heat does not spare your heart. Extreme heat can lead to heart problems and make you susceptible to problems under extreme weather conditions.

Dr Tilak Suvarna, Senior Interventional Cardiologist, Asian Heart Institute, Mumbai explains, "During the hot weather in summer, our body tends to get very hot and needs to get rid of this excess heat, which is done by radiation of warmth and by evaporation or sweating. Radiation involves the rerouting of blood into your skin blood vessels which takes place through dilatation of the blood vessels. This means that your heart has to work that much harder and faster to pump blood. This puts an additional burden on your heart which can be especially detrimental to patients already suffering from heart disease."

Excessive Sweating Due To Heat Can Also Lead To Health Problems

Dr Suvarna explains, "Sweating is a way by which your body removes the excess heat. But it can lead to dehydration as well as loss of essential minerals and nutrients which are vital for various body functions, thus causing added stress on your heart. Temperature regulation is especially deficient in children and the elderly, thereby making them susceptible to adverse effects of heat. Heart failure patients, in particular, fare poorly during summer. They are normally expected to restrict their water intake. However, during summer, due to excess sweating, they end up increasing their fluid intake which in turn worsens their heart failure status."

Signs Extreme Heat Is Affecting You

If you experience any of the symptoms mentioned below, consult a doctor immediately:

Dehydration
Headache
Extreme exhaustion
Severe thirst
Decreased urination
Nausea
Unusual breathing
Numbness of the skin
Pain in muscles
Muscle spasms
Vomiting

Safeguard Yourself From Extreme Heat

The following steps suggested by the cardiologist could be followed to protect your heart during the summer months:

Avoid being out in the sun, especially during the hottest time of the day, which is between 11 am to 3 pm.
If you do outdoor exercises, then do it in the early morning or late evening. Or preferably, shift to indoor exercises.
Keep yourself well-hydrated. Drink adequate amounts of fluids. Eat salads and fruits with high water content. Heart failure patients should consult their cardiologists before increasing their water intake.
Wear thin, light-coloured, and loose-fitting clothes.
Your blood pressure may start staying low due to excess sweating, in which case your medication doses may need to be reduced, in consultation with your doctor.