Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur January 16 “Whenever we are in a cold environment our body makes certain adjustments in order to maintain our body temperature. These changes include; increase in heart rate increase in blood pressure and increased risk of blood clotting. These changes can lead to more stress on heart in patients with pre-existing heart disease leading to increased frequency of angina/ chest pain and heart attack and worsening of symptoms of heart failure.” Dr Munish Dev Cardiologist at Ivy Hospital said this while addressing a special online session. He said.” During winters we prefer to stay indoors which leads to a decrease in our physical activity which further increases the risk of cardiac events. Also people have a tendency to indulge in food items high in trans-fat sugar and salt which increases risk of diabetes hypertension heart disease and obesity. During winter season there is a heightened risk of various chest infections such as common flu and pneumonia. These infections tend to worsen the symptoms of heart disease. In the current scenario cases of Covid-19 infection are on the rise and can cause cardiac complications in heart patients. Talking about the precautions Dr Munish said limit the time you spend out in the cold weather. Regular exercise is a good way of keeping the body and heart healthy. Dont exert yourself too much in outdoor activities. Dont let yourself become overheated. Dressing warmly while engaged in physical activity can lead to overheating. Overheating causes blood vessels to suddenly dilate which can lead to sudden fall in blood pressure which can be hazardous for a person with heart disease. Eat healthy and avoid overindulgence in food. Dont drink excess alcohol especially before going outdoors as it dilates blood vessels in the skin making you feel warmer while actually drawing heat away from your vital organs. Sun exposure is important for vitamin D formation. Monitor your blood pressure blood sugar and cholesterol levels regularly. Vaccination against influenza and pneumonia is recommended in elderly patients with heart disease to prevent these chest infections maintained Dr Munish.

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