Abnormal temperatures increase heart attacks
Experts warn that extreme heat and humidity in the summer months can have negative effects on body health. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Samim Emet from the Cardiology Department of Istanbul University Istanbul Faculty of Medicine also stated that people with heart and circulatory system diseases should be more careful during these processes. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emet, who said that sweltering heat increases the workload of the heart, conveyed that care should be taken regarding fluid consumption and sports.
WARNING TO BLOOD PRESSURE PATIENTS!Speaking about the effects of temperatures on heart health, Cardiology Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emet said, "Today, temperatures have started to rise slightly above seasonal norms. We find it important to warn our patients, especially in patients with high blood pressure, there can be serious problems with the heat. Some blood pressure medications can reduce thirst, serious problems in patients who have reduced water intake, water losses due to sweating, fainting, excessive drops in blood pressure or serious increases in the workload of the heart can be seen. With the heat, the workload of the heart in 1 minute doubles, fluid electrolyte losses due to sweating, dehydration, kidney and heart failure, these are all sister diseases, unfortunately, they coexist. These situations can also cause patients serious trouble. A rearrangement may be required regarding their medications. In this respect, we inform them to be in contact with their physicians and to be aware that the dose that is sufficient in the winter may change in the summer."
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emet said, "Our patients should be much more careful, especially if they are over the age of 50 and have additional diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, heart failure, coronary artery disease, bypass, stent history. If it is not essential, we warn them not to be outside too much between 11:00 and 15:00 when the sun is at its most intense, if they are going to be outside, they should wear a hat and carry water with them as much as possible to meet their water needs. There are blood pressure medications that have diuretic properties, unfortunately these medications can reduce the feeling of thirst to some extent. Very serious water losses can be possible with sweating, and if our patient is a patient who consumes little water, they can experience serious low blood pressure, fainting, palpitations, arrhythmias that can be caused by electrolyte disorders, kidney failure and life-threatening arrhythmias. A study was conducted in New York in 2025, and it was observed that strokes can significantly increase up to 2 times in the summer months. In cases where humidity and temperature are combined, strokes can be 2 "It shows that it has increased by almost 100 times, the humidity rate affects it a lot, we have a limit there at 70 percent. Heart attacks can also increase with abnormal increases in temperatures in the summer months. The same applies in the winter, extreme cold also increases heart attacks. It is necessary to avoid heavy sports and exercises in the summer months. People need to consult with their doctors for a plan of exercise suitable for them together with a cardiology check-up," he said.
Emphasizing that one should be careful while doing sports in the summer months, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emet continued his words as follows: "We should be very careful about sports activities especially in the hot summer months, it is useful to be careful not only in indoor football pitch but also in tennis and other outdoor sports. There are also some genetic arrhythmic heart diseases, they can occur at a very young age, even in the 10s. A nice activity can end badly, unfortunately we encounter them. If we use tobacco, if there is a history of some heart diseases in our family at a young age, if we have additional diseases, we definitely need to undergo a cardiac check-up and enter a sports activity. Extra care should be taken especially in the hot months. A friend of ours who is 28 years old and has just graduated from university also came with a heart attack during an indoor football pitch match, of course we are investigating whether there are genetic risks in these patients in terms of a tendency to clot. It is not like this will happen to every patient, young person. There is definitely a substructure, an unknown disease can occur. There are patients we diagnose with their first heart attack."
Habertürk
