Thursday, July 21, 2011

More on Heat & Heart Patients

Since we are still in the "hot streak", I thought I would continue my research on heat & heart patients!  It is crazy hot out there!  I just finished walking the dog around the block at 10 PM & it was still very hot & humid outside!

This article, "Caution! Summer Heat Can Be Harmful for Heart Patients", again stresses some main points for heart patients.

In order to stay healthy in hot weather, people with heart disease should:
  • Stay inside during the hottest part of the day;
  • Try to stay in an air conditioned environment;
  • Limit strenuous outdoor activities;
  • Wear loose-fitting, light clothing;
  • Stay hydrated and avoid caffeine and alcohol; and,
  • Carry a cell phone and call for help immediately if stranded in the heat. 
A lot of this is common sense, but for people like me that forgets that I had issues - A GOOD REMINDER!  Also, this article stressed the medications that people take, with a focus on beta-blockers!

He adds that some medications taken by heart patients could also cause problems in extreme heat. "Beta-blockers, which are commonly prescribed to people with heart conditions, can prevent the heart from beating as rapidly as it needs to during hot weather, thereby limiting the body's ability to cool down," he says.
 

In my case, because of the meds, my heart cannot work as hard to cool me down.  And with my PVC's, the blood also will have trouble circulating throughout my body.  So, I did a lot of inside work & did not do my outdoor exercise routine.

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