You may be familiar with heart disease and the “affection connection,” so let’s begin with the climatologic conversation. According to recent research, when temperatures drop, blood pressures climb. Last year, the Veterans’ Administration presented information on 443,632 patients who had been diagnosed with hypertension. This study found that people were more likely to have pressures above 160/100 mmHg (normal is 120/80) in the winter.
Why do blood pressures spike during the season of ice and snow? Previous studies found that people’s pressures react to cold temperatures. This was attributed to simple physics: blood vessels constrict when it is cold, but contain the same amount of blood. This was thought to force the numbers up.
The VA study found that elevated numbers were not necessarily limited to people living in chillier locales. Their research followed individuals from 15 cities across the U.S. Winter blood pressures were increased even in relatively mild areas of the country. The VA study authors suggested that elevated pressures are likely due to universal winter issues, such as weight gain, holiday eating and sedentary activities.
How can we coddle our winter-weary hearts? By ...
• Monitoring the type and amount of food we eat;
• Maintaining a stable body weight;
• Taking any previously prescribed blood pressure medications;
• Following our pressures carefully;
• Enjoying regular blood-vessel expanding activities (i.e. exercise);
• Staying warm.
Staying warm does not always require us to stay inside. With appropriate cold-weather gear, we can engage in any number of outdoor pastimes — skating, skiing, snowshoeing or simply walking around the block.
We also can engage in activities (indoors and out) with our loved ones. Past research has demonstrated that people with few social contacts are less likely to survive cardiovascular events, such as strokes and heart attacks. A recent report published in the “Archives of Internal Medicine” found that people in a bad marriage were 34% more likely to have a heart attack within the 12 years of the study.
Poor social connections may lead to other heart disease risk factors, such as anxiety and depression. Several studies have shown that people with stressed out “Type A” personalities are more prone to heart disease. An article printed in the January issue of “Journal of the American College of Cardiology” found that men with anxious tendencies were no better off. They were 30%-40% more likely to have heart attacks than their calmer counterparts.
When it comes to affairs of the heart, staying calm, cool and connected is crucial. This February, follow your romantic dinner and roses with a winter walk. Your heart (and your honey) will thank you.
Dr. Lisa Belisle is a family physician and advisor for the MaineHealth Learning Resource Centers (781-1730). She lives and practices medical acupuncture in Yarmouth. Contact her through her website at www.drlisabelisle.com.