According to the Central Meteorological Observatory, the largest range of high temperature weather this year is about to go online, from July 5 to the beginning of next week, many areas will usher in a round of ultra-long standby high temperature weather, and even stage sauna weather.
In addition, global weather forecasts show record hot and hot weather around the world.
In addition to causing severe heat stroke such as heat stroke, continuous high temperature also puts cardiovascular and cerebrovascular vessels under great tests. The American Heart Association issued a reminder that in extreme hot weather, people should take measures to protect their own and their family's heart health.
Life Times interviewed experts to interpret how hot days "hurt" the heart and summarized a set of heart-protecting methods.
Experts interviewed
Liu Jian, Chief Physician, Department of Cardiology, Peking University People's Hospital
The higher the temperature, the heavier the burden on the heart
The ambient temperature changes, and the human body can stabilize the body temperature through blood vessels and nerve regulation. For example, when the temperature is high, the blood flow under the skin increases, and sweating increases in order to dissipate heat.
At the same time, due to the increase in core body temperature, the body's metabolism is more active, and oxygen consumption increases. These adjustments put the heart under more stress, increase the heart rate, increase the body's water loss, and the blood is in a state of hypercoagulability, which can increase the risk of thrombosis and myocardial ischemia.
These changes are tolerable if the cardiovascular system is healthy, but for older people or people with poor cardiovascular health, these changes may trigger cardiovascular disease.
The Lancet recently published a study that warns people to pay attention to the health effects of cardiovascular disease on hot days.
The study, which analyzed 282 literature examining the relationship between heat and cardiovascular disease, found that:
- For every 1°C increase in temperature, cardiovascular disease-related mortality increased by 2.1% and cardiovascular disease-related morbidity increased by 0.5%, most of which were due to stroke or coronary heart disease, and the mortality rate was higher in people over 65 years old.
- If there is a heat wave (generally refers to hot weather for more than 3 consecutive days), the mortality rate related to cardiovascular disease will increase by 11.7%, and will increase with the intensity of the heat wave.
4 crits to the heart in summer
In hot weather, the heart will be hit by a series of "blows" if you are not careful.
Irritability
There is a term in psychology called "meteorological emotional effect", which means that people's emotional state will be affected by the weather.
Every year in July and August, the continuous high temperature makes the mood more irritable, and severe cases will even "emotional heat stroke" lead to uncontrolled behavior, easy to friction or disputes with people.
Emotional agitation causes the heart to beat faster, the heart muscle to increase oxygen demand, and the heart to be overloaded. In addition, the high temperature makes the blood vessels of the whole body dilate, blood circulation accelerates, and the burden on the heart is heavier.
Poor sleep
Research published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience shows that humans sleep seasonally, with relatively little sleep in the summer.
Hot weather can also make people sleepless, and the days and nights are short, easy to lack of sleep, increase the average blood pressure and heart rate, and increase the working pressure of the cardiovascular system.
Sweating a lot
In summer, the temperature is high, the air pressure is low, the oxygen content in the air decreases, sweating more, the blood viscosity increases, the blood circulation slows down, the blood flow is not smooth, the cardiovascular system is easy to block, myocardial ischemia may occur, and even cause myocardial infarction, cerebral thrombosis, etc.
Large temperature difference
From a low-temperature air-conditioned room to a high-temperature outdoor room, the blood vessels will suddenly relax; Suddenly entering a low-temperature air-conditioned room from a high-temperature outdoor will cause blood vessels to constrict.
Repeated tossing leads to large fluctuations in blood pressure, which may induce myocardial infarction, especially in the elderly with fragile blood vessels.
Alternating hot and cold is also prone to colds and colds, and can also endanger the heart if complicated by serious infections.
It should be noted that myocardial infarction is often manifested as pain in the middle or left of the sternum, with a feeling of pressure, usually lasting 5~15 minutes, and may be accompanied by sweating, nausea and other symptoms.
Some elderly people have underlying diseases such as diabetes, chest tightness and chest pain symptoms are not obvious, but they will feel malaise, tinnitus, dizziness, abdominal pain. When the above symptoms occur, you should go to the hospital in time to check whether it is a myocardial infarction.
Learn a set of heart health care methods on hot days
Too high temperatures can be very bad for cardiovascular disease, especially for people over 65 years old and people with chronic diseases. It is recommended that everyone strengthen precautions in their lives and take six "heart protection" measures:
01
Stay hydrated
Hydration is key to preventing heat-related illnesses, and the body tends to dehydrate even if you're not thirsty. Continuous hydration in summer, not just before exercise.
Drink water before, during, and after going out or exercising, not until you are thirsty, and avoid caffeinated or alcoholic beverages; It is best to drink plain water at room temperature, not ice water.
Pay attention to the color of urine. If drinking water adequately, urine should be clear or yellowish; If cloudiness or darkening occurs, dehydration should be alerted.
02
Eat "heart-friendly" foods
Appropriately increase the intake of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats, fish or low-fat dairy products. Total salt intake throughout the day is less than or equal to 5 grams. Eat less processed meats such as sausages, hot dogs, and ham, and avoid smoked and barbecued meats.
03
Try to avoid going out at noon
During the hottest time of the day, usually from 12 noon to 3 pm, outdoor activities should be avoided as much as possible, when the risk of heat-related illness is higher.
Don't be exposed to the sun all the time when you go out, and if you need to be outdoors, you should rest in the shade for a few minutes at intervals to rehydrate and then return to the sun.
04
Choose the right clothes for sun protection
Try to wear light, light-colored, cotton, breathable clothing, wear a hat and sunglasses if you need to go out, apply sunscreen before going out, and reapply every two hours outdoors.
05
Take your medication as directed
The American Heart Association reminds that commonly used antihypertensive drugs can affect blood pressure response or promote sodium excretion, affecting the body's heat regulation, making patients more likely to experience discomfort in extreme heat.
Patients with chronic diseases should take drugs according to the doctor's guidance, patients with high blood pressure should not stop the drug, should pay attention to safety monitoring after taking the drug, and should see a doctor in time if abnormal symptoms occur.
06
Identify heat stroke symptoms
In the initial stage of heat stroke, patients will sweat a lot, and then gradually no sweating, and then the body temperature rises rapidly, once the core temperature exceeds 40 ° C, drowsiness, convulsions, coma, flushing, dry and hot skin, shallow breathing, rapid pulse and other symptoms, severe cases may be shock.
If you have symptoms of heat stroke:
- First of all, let the patient get out of the high temperature, high humidity and low wind speed environment as soon as possible, and wipe the whole body with warm water of 20 °C ~ 30 °C to help dissipate heat;
- The patient is conscious and can be replenished with sugar saline at room temperature in time;
- If you have fainted, you need to be taken to the hospital immediately or call the emergency number 120. ▲
Editor of this issue: Wang Xiaoqing
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