Hearty heat warnings
January 7, 2013
AUSTRALIANS with heart disease
or people who are taking medicines
for blood pressure or excess fluid,
such as diuretics, are being warned
to take extra care during the latest
heat waves sweeping the nation, as
they are at higher risk of falling ill
or suffering heart complications.
The warning, from the National
Heart Foundation of Australia,
follows recent studies, including
one by Cunrui Huang, of the
Queensland University of
Technology in Brisbane, which
showed an increase in heart attacks
and death from heart attack during
an extreme heat event.
“People most at risk are those
with a chronic disease, such as
heart disease, as well older people,
children, people taking certain
types of medicines, and people
engaged in strenuous outdoor
activity or physical labour,” said the
Heart Foundation's National
Director of Cardiovascular Health,
Dr Robert Grenfell.
“Sweating leads to dehydration,
which reduces the volume of blood.
“This makes the heart pump
harder in order to circulate the
reduced amount of blood around
the body.
“For people with heart disease
and those who are at high risk of a
heart attack, these changes can
overwhelm the heart and result in a
heart attack,” Grenfell added.
To help sufferers manage the
heat, the Heart Foundation suggests
that they stay out of the sun and
reduce normal activity level, and
also find out from their health care
professional how much they should
drink during the heat.
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