Heart patients at risk!

Extreme heat, suffocating humidity, more extreme ordeals for everyone in the coming days. The highest level of heat alert is in effect for almost the entire country. Everyone, healthy and heart patients alike, is urged to take precautions in the heat!

Code Red:

Avoid being outdoors between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., seek shade and keep replenishing lost water and mineral salts! Regular medication users should consult their doctor, as the heat also increases the effects of medication.

The heatwave, the discomfort caused by the heat and the oppressive air, is getting worse, so even the most avid sun worshippers, extreme sportsmen and women, and especially chronic patients, especially those with heart problems, should really pay attention.

When the weather gets warmer, the body tries to maintain its own temperature set in the days and weeks before, and this is harder to do in old age or during chronic illness. The heart has to contract more, it tries to circulate more blood in a minute, we feel tired even when we are not doing physical work.

It can also be a lifesaver if we follow the recommendations of the Hungarian Society of Cardiologists, as the intense heat and strong sunlight not only threatens us with sunburn, but also puts our whole body to the test. It causes the peripheral blood vessels to dilate, which puts even more strain on the heart than usual. Blood pressure can fluctuate and you may feel generally weak and unwell. The risk of heart attack is also increased, and oedema and thrombosis may occur more frequently. We sweat profusely, which in itself puts a strain on the heart. Exposure to the sun or even resting in the shade can be harmful, especially if the humidity is high.

“On the one hand, high temperatures can cause serious problems in a healthy body, with heat shock being the most serious consequence, when the body’s proteins are almost ‘cooked’, which can cause heart attack-like symptoms. But it has nothing to do with the heart, it upsets the whole body’s housekeeping and can cause tragedy. As far as the cardiovascular system is concerned, the heat dilates the blood vessels, which is good for coronary patients, but it puts more strain than usual on the heart. Heat makes the heart work harder and can also upset the water balance, which is particularly dangerous in people with heart failure and kidney problems, which are already common. Especially when taking regular diuretics.

Hydration is therefore extremely important, as dehydration can occur unnoticed. The majority of people with heart disease have atherosclerosis, with blood vessels carrying blood through narrow ‘channels’. The brain may give the command to pump more blood to the heart because the body is under more strain, but the coronary arteries will not be more permeable, the heart will be starved of oxygen and will not be able to keep up with the desired pace,” warns Prof. Dr László Gellér, incoming president of the Hungarian Society of Cardiology, warns.

“The weather can lower blood pressure or cause blood pressure fluctuations, and it can also intensify the effects of medications, so it is important to discuss with your doctor whether to change your dosage for this period, but in any case, do not decide to stop taking medication just because you have no complaints.” – says the cardiologist, who also warns about the dangers of exercise. “Heart patients, like healthy people, need to exercise regularly, so during the heatwave everyone should be careful when they do it and not overdo it. It’s a good time to reinforce the rule of thumb: do as much as you feel good! A lack of fluids can develop in a matter of seconds, but physical exertion causes us to lose not only water but also electrolytes. Among others, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and chloride.

Heat and exercise increase the body’s need for electrolytes, which need to be replenished with fluids. It is also important to remember: do not test your limits at this time, try extreme sports and, as with sunbathing, the golden rule is to stay in the shade between 11am and 3pm,” adds Professor Gellér.

Survival tips for the heatwave at www.szivderito.hu-tól:

Reschedule your days! Don’t go out now to do major shopping or make jam. Don’t go shopping for groceries, don’t go shopping for jelly, don’t go shopping for jelly, don’t go shopping for the groceries.
If you can, stay in a cool place or in the shade, use a fan or air conditioner, or spend a few hours in an air-conditioned place.
Avoid active movement and sports during the hottest hours. Walk and exercise after sunrise or sunset.
Use a damp cloth to wipe your face, forehead and the back of your head, and shower often in lukewarm water.
Keep an eye on your elderly relatives, call them on the phone to check if they are well and need help. Look after young children too, as they can be more affected by the heat.

Check that you have enough of your everyday medicines and heart medicines at home. Take them as prescribed. Check that your medicine does not need refrigeration, and if it does, store it in a fridge, but never in a freezer.
If you feel worse, talk to your GP or doctor. You should call unnecessarily rather than get hurt. If you are unwell and alone, call someone you know.
Keep your mobile phone charged so that you can call for help if you need it – every minute counts!