Alex Trelinski
EXCESS heat currently hitting Spain can spell bad news for people with heart conditions especially for those who had previously experienced heart failure.
Experts believe that preventative measures should be taken at this time of the year and that they should ignore any medications that they may have been prescribed.
Dr. Ignacio Sanchez Lazaro, head of the Cardiology Unit of the Vithas Valencia Hospital said: “Extreme heat increases the chances of suffering problems in cardiology, especially those who suffer from heart failure, which is mainly due to vasodilation and consequent hypertension”.
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“The heart has to pump more blood to maintain blood pressure, which cause a great strain on heart muscles and this overexertion can trigger angina or heart failure.”
“Excessive heat encourages dehydration and a loss of electrolytes, which can disrupt heart rhythm and cause arrhythmias,” he added.
Dr. Sanchez Lazaro warned about other factors such as humidity that make sweat evaporation difficult, which in turn prevents the body from cooling properly.
“This increases body temperature and heart rate, which can cause heat stroke or cardiac decompensation,” said the medic.
“Close management and treatment of heart failure from a cardiology unit is to key to cut down hospital admissions and improve the quality of life for such patients.”
“It is a chronic pathology that involves multidisciplinary treatment which must be fully coordinated with other specialties and entail preventative health education for both the patient and their environment, ” emphasised Dr. Sanchez Lazaro.
In summer, the recommendations are that patients with heart failure should follow are to avoid going outside during the hottest hours, wear light and breathable clothing, hydrate well (but not excessively in the case of patients with heart failure) and avoid alcoholic drinks, sugary or caffeinated drinks, which can increase fluid loss and alter heart rate.
“They should not forget to do moderate exercise and follow a balanced diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, which provides vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, as well as avoiding copious, fatty or spicy foods, which can increase body temperature and blood pressure and control the consumption of salt, which favour fluid retention and hypertension,” the doctor concluded.
