Heat, Cold and Heart Health: What You Need to Know

The way the weather feels can change how our hearts work. When it is too hot or too cold, people are more likely to have heart attacks, strokes, sudden death and other serious problems. Scientists say the problem is getting worse because global temperatures are rising and extreme weather events are happening more often. Many things make the danger bigger: where someone lives, how much money they have, what job they do, and whether their body is already weak from disease. The body reacts in many ways to bad temperatures: the nervous system speeds up, blood vessels tighten, inflammation rises, and the body struggles to keep its normal temperature. All of these changes can hurt the heart.Bad weather also strains hospitals. More people go to emergency rooms, clinics have trouble staying open, and the whole health system can feel weak. Ironically, treating heart disease also releases a lot of greenhouse gases, which can worsen climate change. To help people stay safe, experts suggest actions for individuals (like staying cool or warm), neighborhoods (adding shade or heat shelters), hospitals (preparing for surges) and governments (setting climate goals). There are still many unknowns. We need better ways to measure how long people are exposed, how medicines interact with heat or cold, and what protects some people more than others. Everyone – scientists, doctors, policymakers and the public – must work together to reduce the heart risks that come with a changing climate.