Cold Weather Raises BP & Heart Attack Risk

As the temperature falls in many parts of the country, the risk of heart damage and heart attacks rises, especially in people with high blood pressure.

While an increase in heart attacks is noted in association with snow shoveling, the link between cold weather and heart problems is actually much more direct, and does not depend on unusual exercise. ¹

Cold weather has been shown to affect the heart and circulation in many ways, including:

• Increasing the viscosity, or thickness, of the blood
• Causing small blood vessels to narrow
• Increasing blood pressure

These effects add up to more work on the heart, and are more severe in people with pre-existing high blood pressure. In situations of extreme or long term cold weather, it is prudent for those with high blood pressure to exercise extra caution with physical activity.

¹ Bortkiewicz, A. et al. Physiological Reaction to Work in Cold Microclimate, International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, 2006;19(2):123-31.