Heart Attacks Spike During Holidays: Tips to Protect Yourself

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Dec. 12, 2023 -- Late December is typically a time when holiday stress and winter weather can collide, creating a perfect recipe for a rise in heart attacks and stroke.

Luckily, one expert has some advice on how to dodge the danger.

“When we look across the year in terms of heart attack rates, what we see is fairly constant rates week by week with two exceptions: One is that there’s a broad, shallow dip in summer months and, two, there is a very short spike of about 30 to 40% in the last couple weeks of the year between Christmas and New Year’s,” said cardiologist Dr. Donald Lloyd-Jones, chair of the department of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

“During the holiday season, there are different stresses like dealing with your in-laws and travel arrangements that may add stress," he explained in a Northwestern news release. "We’re often knocked off our eating and sleeping patterns, we tend to consume more alcohol, we’re not pursuing our typical physical activity and we may get thrown off our medication schedule."

Add wintry weather to that mix, and the heart health dangers ramp up, he added.

“Cold weather also is a problem because when we breathe cold air, it chills the blood in our lungs and causes constriction of blood vessels. The first blood vessels downstream from the lungs are the coronary arteries, which are particularly affected by the cold weather," Lloyd-Jones said.

"Pursuing cold-weather activities, like shoveling, may be especially hazardous because we might overdo it, plus we’re wearing extra layers, which could cause us to overheat," he noted. "It’s a perfect storm to maximize stress on the heart.”

How do you know when that stress has triggered a heart attack?

For men, symptoms include heavy, crushing chest pressure in the middle of chest and/or sudden, unexplained shortness of breath. Meanwhile, women tend to experience more subtle signs, such as shortness of breath, profound fatigue or lightheadedness, Lloyd-Jones said.

With stroke, symptoms known by the acronym FAST all point to trouble:

  • Face drooping
  • Arm or leg weakness on one side
  • Speech difficulty
  • Time to call 911

    • If you experience any of these symptoms, head straight to the emergency room, Lloyd-Jones said.

    “We have two kidneys and two lungs, but only one heart and one brain, so it’s much safer to err on the side of caution,” Lloyd-Jones said.

    “If there’s any doubt, get checked out in person. At best, hopefully you are aborting a heart attack or stroke," he said. "Time is heart muscle, time is brain cells, and so time is of the essence. The sooner you seek help in that situation, the sooner we can save your life or brain."

    Sources

  • Northwestern University, news release, Dec. 2023

    • Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

    Source: HealthDay

    Posted : 2023-12-12 22:15

    Read more

    Disclaimer

    Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

    The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

    Popular Keywords