Consult doctors as extreme heat can stress heart

CHANDIGARH: Randeep Sagar, 37, an executive in a company was rushed to the cardiac care unit following his having gulped down a lot of glasses of water. Extreme weather conditions and rise in humidity had stressed his heart muscles which were already weak resulting in a heart attack. Karan Verma, 42, who has been diagnosed with high blood pressure and had been regular with his medicines suddenly found his blood pressure soar beyond normal levels.Later he was told that excessive sweating had been a contributory factor to rise in blood pressure.
Though there is not enough epidemiological data to support that summers and humidity increase heart diseases, cardiologists do come across many cases in summer. “Stress is a major risk factor and extreme weather conditions add to it. Moreover one gets so exhausted that most people tend to reduce or stop exercise/walks,” said Dr Arun Kochar, senior interventional cardiologist in Mohali.
Doctors recommend those patients who are on diuretics—medicines prescribed to BP patients that allow excess of urination--to monitor their electrolyte balance.