If you have heart disease, staying healthy during cold weather presents special challenges.
For those withcoronary artery disease (CAD), cold temperatures can trigger episodes of cardiacischemia(when the heart muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen). This can cause episodes ofangina, when the heart doesn’t receive enough blood flow, or evenheart attacks.
For people who haveheart failure, a rapid drop in environmental temperature can cause a sudden worsening of symptoms. It can also lead to an increased risk of hospitalization and even an increased risk of death.
That means when you have heart disease, the onset of cold temperatures requires special precautions. Fortunately, these precautions generally fall into the category of common sense.
This article discusses how cold temperatures affect your heart. It also lists five precautions to take in the cold weather when you have heart disease.
Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin
How the Cold Affects Your Heart
A cold environment causes your body to make certain adjustments to preserve your core body temperature. These normal adjustments can present a challenge if you have heart disease.
Cold temperatures cause your blood vessels to constrict or get more narrow. This helps minimize heat loss from your blood to regulate your body’s normal internal temperature.
When your blood vessels constrict, your blood pressure increases. Your heart has to work harder to pump blood through the constricted blood vessels in the body.
If you have a healthy cardiovascular system, this blood vessel constriction shouldn’t cause problems. However, if you have coronary artery disease (plaque in your arteries), it may lead to a blockage in the artery, which could cause a heart attack.
RecapWhen it’s cold outside, your blood vessels constrict to minimize heat loss. Your heart works harder to pump blood through your blood vessels. If you have heart disease, it may put you at greater risk for a heart attack.
Recap
When it’s cold outside, your blood vessels constrict to minimize heat loss. Your heart works harder to pump blood through your blood vessels. If you have heart disease, it may put you at greater risk for a heart attack.
Cold Weather Precautions for Heart Disease
Summary
Cold weather can increase your risk of heart attack if you have heart disease. The cold temperature causes your blood vessels to constrict. This increases your blood pressure and makes your heart work harder to pump blood.
Don’t overexert yourself in the cold weather and avoid drinking alcohol. Also, remember to get your flu shot, since the flu is dangerous when you have heart disease.
A Word From Verywell
Cold temperatures cause physiological stress on anyone. If you have heart disease, cold temperatures can be dangerous or even life-threatening. Make sure you take the common-sense precautions that can reduce your risk if you are in a cold environment.
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Fares A.Winter cardiovascular diseases phenomenon.N Am J Med Sci. 2013;5(4):266. doi:10.4103/1947-2714.110430Vanasse A, Talbot D, Chebana F, et al.Effects of climate and fine particulate matter on hospitalizations and deaths for heart failure in elderly: A population-based cohort study.Environ Int. 2017;106:257–266. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2017.06.001Wigley FM.Patient education: Raynaud phenomenon. UpToDate.Mohammad M, Koul S, Rylance R et al.Association of weather with day-to-day incidence of myocardial infarction.JAMA Cardiol. 2018;3(11):1081. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2018.3466Nichols RB, McIntyre WF, Chan S, et al.Snow-shoveling and the risk of acute coronary syndrome.Clin Res Cardiol. 2012;101:11-15. doi:10.1007/s00392-011-0356-6Harvard Medical School: Harvard Health Publishing.Avoiding winter heart attacks.Sooryanarain H, Elankumaran S.Environmental role in influenza virus outbreaks.Annu Rev Anim Biosci. 2015;3:347–373. doi:10.1146/annurev-animal-022114-111017Modin D, Jørgensen ME, Gislason G, et al.Influenza vaccine in heart failure.Circulation. 2019;139(5):575–586. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.118.036788Maufrais C, Charriere N, Montani J.Cardiovascular and cutaneous responses to the combination of alcohol and soft drinks: The way to orthostatic intolerance?.Front Physiol. 2017;8. doi:10.3389/fphys.2017.00860
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Fares A.Winter cardiovascular diseases phenomenon.N Am J Med Sci. 2013;5(4):266. doi:10.4103/1947-2714.110430Vanasse A, Talbot D, Chebana F, et al.Effects of climate and fine particulate matter on hospitalizations and deaths for heart failure in elderly: A population-based cohort study.Environ Int. 2017;106:257–266. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2017.06.001Wigley FM.Patient education: Raynaud phenomenon. UpToDate.Mohammad M, Koul S, Rylance R et al.Association of weather with day-to-day incidence of myocardial infarction.JAMA Cardiol. 2018;3(11):1081. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2018.3466Nichols RB, McIntyre WF, Chan S, et al.Snow-shoveling and the risk of acute coronary syndrome.Clin Res Cardiol. 2012;101:11-15. doi:10.1007/s00392-011-0356-6Harvard Medical School: Harvard Health Publishing.Avoiding winter heart attacks.Sooryanarain H, Elankumaran S.Environmental role in influenza virus outbreaks.Annu Rev Anim Biosci. 2015;3:347–373. doi:10.1146/annurev-animal-022114-111017Modin D, Jørgensen ME, Gislason G, et al.Influenza vaccine in heart failure.Circulation. 2019;139(5):575–586. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.118.036788Maufrais C, Charriere N, Montani J.Cardiovascular and cutaneous responses to the combination of alcohol and soft drinks: The way to orthostatic intolerance?.Front Physiol. 2017;8. doi:10.3389/fphys.2017.00860
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Fares A.Winter cardiovascular diseases phenomenon.N Am J Med Sci. 2013;5(4):266. doi:10.4103/1947-2714.110430Vanasse A, Talbot D, Chebana F, et al.Effects of climate and fine particulate matter on hospitalizations and deaths for heart failure in elderly: A population-based cohort study.Environ Int. 2017;106:257–266. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2017.06.001Wigley FM.Patient education: Raynaud phenomenon. UpToDate.Mohammad M, Koul S, Rylance R et al.Association of weather with day-to-day incidence of myocardial infarction.JAMA Cardiol. 2018;3(11):1081. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2018.3466Nichols RB, McIntyre WF, Chan S, et al.Snow-shoveling and the risk of acute coronary syndrome.Clin Res Cardiol. 2012;101:11-15. doi:10.1007/s00392-011-0356-6Harvard Medical School: Harvard Health Publishing.Avoiding winter heart attacks.Sooryanarain H, Elankumaran S.Environmental role in influenza virus outbreaks.Annu Rev Anim Biosci. 2015;3:347–373. doi:10.1146/annurev-animal-022114-111017Modin D, Jørgensen ME, Gislason G, et al.Influenza vaccine in heart failure.Circulation. 2019;139(5):575–586. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.118.036788Maufrais C, Charriere N, Montani J.Cardiovascular and cutaneous responses to the combination of alcohol and soft drinks: The way to orthostatic intolerance?.Front Physiol. 2017;8. doi:10.3389/fphys.2017.00860
Fares A.Winter cardiovascular diseases phenomenon.N Am J Med Sci. 2013;5(4):266. doi:10.4103/1947-2714.110430
Vanasse A, Talbot D, Chebana F, et al.Effects of climate and fine particulate matter on hospitalizations and deaths for heart failure in elderly: A population-based cohort study.Environ Int. 2017;106:257–266. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2017.06.001
Wigley FM.Patient education: Raynaud phenomenon. UpToDate.
Mohammad M, Koul S, Rylance R et al.Association of weather with day-to-day incidence of myocardial infarction.JAMA Cardiol. 2018;3(11):1081. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2018.3466
Nichols RB, McIntyre WF, Chan S, et al.Snow-shoveling and the risk of acute coronary syndrome.Clin Res Cardiol. 2012;101:11-15. doi:10.1007/s00392-011-0356-6
Harvard Medical School: Harvard Health Publishing.Avoiding winter heart attacks.
Sooryanarain H, Elankumaran S.Environmental role in influenza virus outbreaks.Annu Rev Anim Biosci. 2015;3:347–373. doi:10.1146/annurev-animal-022114-111017
Modin D, Jørgensen ME, Gislason G, et al.Influenza vaccine in heart failure.Circulation. 2019;139(5):575–586. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.118.036788
Maufrais C, Charriere N, Montani J.Cardiovascular and cutaneous responses to the combination of alcohol and soft drinks: The way to orthostatic intolerance?.Front Physiol. 2017;8. doi:10.3389/fphys.2017.00860
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