Experts Explain How Cold and Flu Season Impacts Heart Attack Risk

In an Oct. 14 press release, health and fitness trainer Mike Torchia cautions about what he calls the upcoming "heart attack season" and cites a Duke University study that found there are more fatal heart attacks during the winter season than any other.

In the Duke University study, researchers looked at outcome statistics of heart attack patients admitted to the university's hospital during the holidays, which are included in that cold and flu season, also known as the heart attack season. They noted a couple of significant findings. Heart attack season patients received fewer life-saving medications and procedures than heart attack patients admitted at any other time of year. Further, those admitted with heart attacks during the cold and flu season died more often. One of the explanations offered is that hospital staff is generally reduced during the holidays.

Torchia looked at additional risk factors for people to be aware of during heart attack season. With cold weather and winter holidays, people tend to eat more foods which increase "bad cholesterol." Those who live in snowy climates are often more likely to engage in abnormal physical exertion in the outdoors.

An online WebMD article states that many theories exist and sometimes overlap for why winter is prime time for heart attacks. Dr. Stephen P. Glasser, a professor of preventive medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine says winter months bring "a change in the ratio of daylight hours to dark hours, which changes the hormonal balance, and the hormones involved, such as cortisol, can lower the threshold for a cardiovascular event."

Also, cold temperatures cause arteries to tighten, which restricts blood flow and reduces oxygen to the heart. According to Glasser, when a person spends time outside in the cold temperatures, "there is more oxygen demand by the heart because it is working harder to do the work and maintain body heat."

Heart attack season applies to snowbirds too, even though they head to warmer climates to avoid the cold. In fact, says the WebMD article, increases in winter heart attacks have been documented in warm climates like Florida and Southern California. Dr. Karol Watson, co-director of preventive cardiology at the University of Southern California at Los Angeles (UCLA) says that "in California, we still have the same spike in heart attacks" during the winter months because of the flu season. "We know that inflammation can trigger a heart attack and the flu causes inflammation," Watson said. Inflammation can make arterial plaque less stable. If plaque is dislodged and blocks arteries, this can contribute to a heart attack.

Both Watson and Torchia recommend anyone at high risk for the flu, including people older than 65 and those with heart disease risk factors, should make sure to get the shot. According to Torchia, studies show that flu shots can reduce heart attacks by up to 67 percent in some people.

So what's a person to do, now that heart attack season is fast approaching? Torchia recommends being aware of one's risk level and knowing the early-warning heart attack signs. Knowledge is a great tool, along with a common sense approach to physical activity and reducing one's risk for catching the flu.

Sources:

Press release, "How Winter Weather, Flu Shots Affect Heart Attack Risk;" http://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/10/prweb560936.htm

WebMD Article, "Preventing Winter Heart Attacks;" http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/features/preventing-winter-heart-attacks?page=1