Winter prime time for heart attacks
Winter is not only cold and flu season, but also the prime season for heart attacks.
In the United States, the risks of having a heart attack during the winter months are twice as high as in the summertime.
A heart attack in the winter is also more likely to be fatal than a heart attack during any other time of year.
Even people who live in warm climates have an increased risk in winter.
Three reasons why heart attacks are more common during the winter than other months are:
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Cold weather: When a person gets cold, the body’s automatic response is to narrow the blood vessels. Cutting down on blood flow to the skin means the body does not lose as much heat. But for people who already have arteries filled with plaque, the narrowing of the blood vessels raises the risk that one will become blocked, triggering a heart attack.
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Less daylight: Less daylight in the winter can worsen mood problems, increase depression risk, and can also affect the heart. Heart attack patients are often found to have lower levels of vitamin D (which comes from sunlight) than healthy people.
- Flu:. A flu infection can increase blood pressure, stir up white blood cell activity, and change C-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels in the blood – all bad news for your heart. An annual flu shot can cut heart attack risk in half.
