Is it true that people are prone to "sudden death" during cold snaps? Intensivists reveal "three major time points" with the highest risk
Is it true that sudden death is more likely to occur in cold weather? “Two things” bring people closer to death
The low temperature will drop to 10 degrees Celsius over the weekend. Will the cold wave increase the risk of “sudden death”? Dr. Huang Xuan, an expert in critical care medicine, said in the community that the core cause of sudden death in winter is still roughly related to “severe temperature differences.” Excessive temperature difference can easily cause blood thickening, which may increase blood thickness by nearly 60%; and if the indoor temperature is not maintained at around 18-20 degrees, or the temperature difference between two rooms is greater than 5 degrees, it may lead to serious cardiovascular problems. , and even cause sudden death.
Dr. Huang Xuan explained that when the temperature of the residence drops, the body temperature may also change drastically due to the cold wave. What you need to know is that in a cold indoor environment, the human body may undergo the following physiological changes, and these changes may bring individuals silently closer to death:
1. **Blood pressure rises quietly
If the room temperature continues to be cold, the “sympathetic nerves” in the human body will be over-excited, causing the secretion of “catecholamines” to increase. When the body’s blood vessels contract violently, blood pressure will increase, the heart rate will accelerate, and the heart’s oxygen consumption will be abnormal. Rising, severe myocardial ischemia may lead to sudden death.
According to a previous Japanese study, for every 10 degrees drop in temperature in the early morning hours, human blood pressure will rise by “8.2 mmHg.” Another document from Hong Kong also stated that every time the room temperature drops by 1 degree, the chance of sudden death will increase. increased by 5.6%. Early morning is a high-risk time for sudden death. The deceased is often prone to miss the golden rescue period because his family may still be asleep at this time, making it difficult to seek medical support for rescue.
2. **The blood gradually thickens
The secretion of catecholamines not only causes the body’s blood vessels to contract violently, but the blood thickness in the blood vessels may also increase simultaneously. Medical research and blood draws have proven that if the human body continues to be in a cold environment, the secretion of three proteins in the body will increase:
P-selectins: Causes an increase in cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), making cells more likely to adhere to the vascular endothelium.
Lipopolysaccharide: The increase in lipopolysaccharide can easily induce the formation of “thromboxane”.
Thromboxanes: Excessive secretion can easily lead to blood clots.
Sudden deaths in winter mostly occur in “this place”? Medical warning: Being naked and before and after bathing are the most dangerous times!
In addition, Dr. Huang Xuan also pointed out that when individuals are in three situations: taking off clothes, before and after bathing, and during sleep, the body temperature will undergo drastic changes, which is also a high-risk opportunity for blood vessels to contract violently and blood to thicken; and the human body is in these three situations. When in the state, they are often in their own room or bathroom, which is why many cases of sudden death are easily discovered in these places.
Upon hearing that cold rooms will lead to an increase in sudden deaths, many people directly raised the temperature in the room. Dr. Huang Xuan warned that the higher the indoor temperature, the better. If the indoor temperature is often kept above 23 degrees during a cold wave, it may lead to physical fatigue and easy dizziness. Some foreign studies have pointed out that if an individual is in an outdoor environment below 10 degrees and suddenly enters an environment above 23 degrees, he or she may be killed.
“The greater the temperature difference, the higher the mortality rate. And it becomes dangerous when the temperature difference is greater than 5 degrees!” Severe temperature differences affect not only sudden cardiac death, but also “cerebrovascular occlusive disease”, which begins with a temperature difference greater than 5 degrees. Above degrees it starts to become more dangerous. Especially those who were previously young and healthy without any medical history. Studies have pointed out that middle-aged people under the age of 60 have a four-fold increased risk of acute stroke.
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As for how people can keep their rooms warm and safe? Would a heater or electric stove help? Dr. Huang Xuan gave the following 4 suggestions:
Use different tools to keep warm. If the room temperature exceeds 20 degrees, there is really no need to turn on the heater to warm the environment. If only some areas in the room need to raise the room temperature, it is recommended to use an electric heater; however, if the living environment is in a larger area, it is recommended to use a “thermal air conditioner”, which may be more affordable, because electric heaters consume more power than thermal air conditioners. More than 3 times higher.
Select the correct location to release heat. The way most people keep warm is to turn electric heaters on themselves to release heat. Such actions can only provide short-term warmth. If cold air enters the room from the window, avoid pulling the electric heater close to you. Instead, place it next to the window to “warm the cold air” so that the indoor temperature can rise faster.
Select the correct operating mode. When turning on the heat air conditioner, many people turn to “breeze mode” in order to save electricity bills. In fact, this operating mode will actually increase electricity bills. To achieve the set temperature of about 18 degrees in the room, it is recommended to switch to “automatic mode” to allow the room temperature to rise to the ideal temperature, which can also save electricity bills.
Use a fan as an aid. If the air conditioner or electric heater is turned on and the indoor environment is still cold, it is recommended to use a “fan” for assistance. When an electric heater is placed on the ground, the hot air released will rise. This characteristic will also cause the heating effect to be ineffective. Therefore, a feasible approach is to “blow” the electric fan toward the ceiling to allow the accumulated hot air to disperse, so that the temperature of the room will be evenly warm.
Dr. Huang Xuan also gives warm advice to various groups, such as patients with cardiovascular disease, elderly people over 65 years old, and patients with chronic diseases. It is recommended that the room temperature be kept above 18 degrees to minimize the risk of sudden death; only patients with lung diseases (such as Chronic pulmonary obstruction), if exposed to an environment of around 21 degrees for at least 9 hours, its respiratory symptoms are less likely to attack. New parents should note that Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is more likely to occur in winter, so it is recommended to keep the nursery at around 16-20 degrees.
Source:
“It’s cold, don’t let the room stay cold” - Dr. Huang Xuan
“When it’s cold, why do you tend to die suddenly in bed, next to the bathroom, or in the room?”
Environmental temperature and mortality
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest risk attributable to temperature in Japan
Minimum home temperature thresholds for health in winter – A systematic literature review
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