Li Keqiang died suddenly of a heart attack. Could temperature fluctuations cause acute myocardial infarction and arrhythmia? Doctors reveal 3 common signs of myocardial hypoxia
Does changing seasons increase the death rate from heart disease? 2 major causes of “heart killer”
Former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 68. Why do drastic temperature changes in autumn and winter increase the risk of heart attacks? Wu Yanwen, director of the Cardiovascular Medicine Center of Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, said in an interview that sudden cold temperatures can easily cause blood vessels to contract violently. Especially once the heart blood vessels contract and spasm, the blood vessels or plaques on the blood vessel walls can easily be squeezed and ruptured, causing serious heart disease. Vascular events and even sudden death.
Dr. Wu Yanwen explained that cold temperatures cause cardiovascular contraction, which firstly increases the difficulty of blood circulation, and secondly, causes plaque rupture in blood vessel walls. Most sudden deaths caused by cardiovascular events are related to “acute myocardial infarction”, which is often caused by complete blockage of blood flow in the heart and cessation of cardiac function, which is like a sudden breakdown of a motor and is fatal. In addition, acute myocardial hypoxia may cause “malignant arrhythmia”, causing the heart to beat wildly and then suddenly stop. These are the two main possibilities for sudden death from heart disease.
The pain feels like being “pressed by a stone”. Could it be a heart disease? Signs of acute myocardial infarction?
“People who have cardiovascular disease themselves or are in the three high blood pressure groups (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes), if not well controlled, will be particularly prone to cardiovascular events during seasonal changes!”
Dr. Wu Yanwen reminded that in order to reduce cardiovascular events caused by weather changes, people with chronic diseases must take medications regularly and seek medical advice as soon as possible when they have mild symptoms. Acute myocardial infarction may not have obvious symptoms. If you suddenly feel chest tightness, asthma, or your endurance significantly decreases when engaging in the same exercise, these are symptoms related to myocardial hypoxia that should be paid attention to in advance.
In addition, the nerve transmission paths of many organs overlap, and hypoxia in the lower wall of the myocardium can sometimes cause abdominal pain, or joint pain in the shoulder, left arm, jaw, teeth, back and other parts. Dr. Wu Yanwen reminds that the pain caused by heart disease usually occurs at a specific time. If you have symptoms of heart discomfort and back pain at the same time, or the pain feels like oppression or tightening, “like a stone pressing down”, and is vague and cannot be localized, you should be particularly careful. Be careful. Women are more likely to experience “atypical chest pain” than men. If you have three high-related risk factors and cannot determine the cause of discomfort, you should be particularly alert to whether it is a heart problem.
How to prevent sudden death during exercise in cold weather? How to choose a heart health check tool?
How to exercise in cold weather to reduce the risk of sudden death? Dr. Wu Yanwen said that many cases of acute coronary heart disease during exercise are among people who exercise regularly, which shows that most people are prone to overconfidence in their own physical abilities or ignore the extent to which cardiovascular disease is affected by the environment. We are reminded that before exercising in cold weather, especially before swimming, you must warm up enough and control the appropriate water temperature to avoid severe vasoconstriction caused by excessive temperature differences. Older people are advised to exercise together with their companions so that they can call for help in time in case of an emergency to avoid delays in treatment.
Can early cardiac examination reduce sudden cardiovascular events? Dr. Wu Yanwen pointed out that cardiac examination methods should be selected based on their own risk factors. For example, exercise electrocardiography is suitable for high-risk groups with typical symptoms, but is less suitable for patients without symptoms; only older patients with more risk factors can be used. Examination tools with high interventional sensitivity, such as cardiac coronary angiography, will be considered, which can find less obvious calcifications and stenosis, helping patients understand their heart condition early and adjust their living habits and daily health care.
“You don’t need to see a doctor frequently, but you should become a good partner with the doctor. In particular, regular implementation of medical instructions is very important to prevent acute cardiovascular events!” Dr. Wu Yanwen reminded that the temperature changes greatly in autumn and winter, and even if it is only a minor discomfort, it is not recommended to delay and endure it. . Adopting a healthy lifestyle, exercising appropriately every week, keeping warm in the morning and evening, and drinking enough water are the constant principles for maintaining a healthy heart.
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