Exposing ourselves to the heat in summer is dangerous for anyone, but especially for people with cardiovascular health problems. Because? Why, among other things, heat produces dehydration and hemoconcentration, favoring thromboembolic events. Hence, during heat waves, these types of episodes are the main causes of mortality.
But also with summer and vacations, as the clinical cardiologist at the Teknon Medical Center in Barcelona Antonela Costa Varsi highlights, come prolonged trips, changes in habits, and excesses, which can affect, as we have said, our health. cardiovascular.
For this reason, the assistant doctor of the Cardiology service at the Teknon Medical Center advises us first of all, to take care of our cardiovascular health this summer, that we keep some routines. How can we do it?
It highlights that during the vacation period, with the change in routines and schedules, forgetfulness and disorders appear when taking medication. “We must set alarms that remind us to take medication, and we always check before traveling if we have all the necessary medications for the days away from home,” this expert points out.
Change of schedules
During the summer season we must try to maintain routines and avoid eating disorders as much as possible.
In addition, he says that excesses and eating disorders appear when eating out, which could have consequences for patients who suffer from pathologies such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart failure; “So this population should take special care,” emphasizes Dr. Costa.
Antonela Costa Varsi, clinical cardiologist at the Teknon Medical Center in Barcelona.
The risks of heat
The risk of suffering from dehydration increases considerably in the summer season
Secondly, it warns about dehydration problems in summer, pointing out that “the risk of suffering from dehydration increases considerably”, since during this time of year there is a greater chance that our body will not recover the loss of fluids so easily, due to the increased environmental temperature and sweat. “Anyone can become dehydrated, but this condition is especially dangerous for children, older adults, and those under diuretic treatment,” adds the cardiologist.
Some of the symptoms are, as listed: excessive thirst, less frequent urination, dark-colored urine, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, and confusion. “Although there is not always a reliable early indicator of the body’s need for water, since many people, especially older adults, do not feel thirsty until they are dehydrated,” he warns.
In his opinion, it is therefore very important to maintain the consumption of liquids and foods rich in water (such as fruits and vegetables) throughout the day: “In healthy people, it is recommended to drink 2 to 3 liters of water a day during the summer months, especially those with high temperatures or in which we do physical activity.”
The importance of being hydrated
It is very important to maintain the consumption of liquids and foods rich in water
For those who do not have the habit, the clinical cardiologist at the Teknon Medical Center in Barcelona Antonela Costa Varsi maintains that there are mobile applications that remember their intake, or even maintains that traditional alarms can be used.
The third point to take into account when taking care of our heart this summer is sport, according to this specialist from the Teknon Medical Center. It is advisable to try to maintain physical activity during the holidays, despite laziness and loss of routines.
To do this, he suggests choosing times when temperatures are not so high to reduce the risk of dehydration: “The ideal would be to exercise in the early morning or late in the day, and always consult with the doctor in case of discomfort. , or chest pain when performing physical exertion.”
Physical exercise
The ideal is to do sports in the early hours of the morning or at the end of the day.
On the other hand, the fourth recommendation is related to travel. The doctor highlights that prolonged immobility, especially in the case of long trips (4 hours or more), increases the probability of developing blood clots, especially in the lower limbs. “This phenomenon was called ‘economy class syndrome’, emphasizing the importance of the very limited space on most commercial flights, a term that has been abandoned for the more precise ‘traveler syndrome’, since it also There are episodes of thrombosis in business class passengers, and they can also appear on prolonged trips on other non-air means of transportation,” he adds.
The possibility of travel-related thrombosis, as Dr. Costa continues, is “practically negligible” in healthy people without risk factors; although it states that this increases, and “considerably”, in those individuals who do have a pre-existing or favorable condition for the development of clots, such as in the following cases indicated below: obesity or overweight, taking contraceptives oral, pregnancy, having a heart, neurological, respiratory disease, or cancer, apart from having a genetic predisposition to greater blood coagulability, or the fact of consuming alcohol or tobacco.
traveler syndrome
Prolonged immobility on long trips of more than four hours increases the likelihood of developing blood clots.
For this reason, the population that has any of these risk factors should act preventively, staying well hydrated and following the following advice from Dr. Costa:
Drink plenty of water.
Avoid alcohol or coffee.
Get up regularly during the trip (or make intermediate stops if traveling by car) and walk every 2-3 hours.
Perform leg exercises and stretches while sitting: raise your heels, lift your toes, contract and relax the calf muscles, avoid crossing your legs during the trip, do not wear very tight clothing (tight pants, belts ).
In some people at high risk, the use of elastic stockings or the use of a preventive drug such as heparin could also be recommended under medical indication.
#ways #protect #heart #summer
