The recent bitter cold was hard on us all, but for some with existing cardiovascular problems, the cold weather can trigger chest pain.
It may be a heart attack. Maybe angina (an JY nuh) or AN juh NUH as cardiologist Dr, Kenneth Saland with Texas Health Dallas says it.
He said both pronunciations are correct.
TAG: Dr. Kennth Saland is a cardiologist with Texas Health Dallas.
Dr. Saland: Cold weather acts as a vasoconstrictor. The blood vessels clamp down and it narrows the blood vessels. And when the constriction happens, it causes blood pressure to increase.
That makes the heart work harder, the arteries tighten and restricts blood flow and limits the supply of oxygen to the heart and also to the rest of the body.
Baker: So, are we talking about freezing or near freezing cold for this to happen? Or maybe even something that quite as bad.
Dr. Saland: Mostly, it's in the freezing or freezing cold temperatures, but even a decrease in barometric pressure and overall temperature decrease could affect this as well.
Baker: Does chest pain always mean a heart attack, major or mild?
Dr. Saland: Chest pain does not always mean a heart attack. It could just mean that the arteries are clamping down, causing a chest pain or angina, but chest pain that does not go away or doesn't cease could be considered a possible heart attack.
Baker: What's the difference, though, between a heart attack and angina?
Dr. Saland: Angina is chest pain typically lasts minutes or more, usually will relieve with rest or other medications such as nitroglycerin, and a heart attack would be chest pain again that would not go away with rest, or medication. In some cases, when someone's not sure, they should definitely call 911.
Baker: Do you think most people would understand or know the difference?
Dr. Saland: Most people may or may not know the difference, but again, the key is that pain does not go away would be considered much more concerning.
Baker: And what would cause angina?
Dr. Saland: The most common things that would bring angina on would be exertion.
Baker: Would that include stress of some type?
Dr. Saland: Yes, stress, exertion, smoking, hypertension that's not being treated. People that would more likely develop angina would be older people with pre-existing conditions, patients who have not been exercising, an elder age group.
You need to have more of a warm-up activity when you're going out in the cold to sort avoid a heavy meal prior to the exposure, take breaks. And just overall recommendations to exercise, eat healthy, try not to smoke, limit alcohol.
Baker: What should you do or what can you do to avoid angina or prevent it?
Dr. Saland: Well, specifically regarding the cold weather, bundle up. You should have multiple layers, cover your exposed skin.
Know the signs of hypothermia, shivering, confusion, numbness, and again, don't overexert yourself.
You want to stay hydrated. You want a limit your alcohol and caffeine and also of course, not smoke because that can additionally cause vasoconstriction or the tightening effect of the heart and the arteries.
Baker: I have to ask, given the weather that we're having or have had, I don't suppose snow shoveling contributes to that, does it?
Dr. Saland: Oh, it definitely does. We don't have a lot of snow shoveling here in Dallas, but typically that is the main predictor in other cities, when people start shoveling snow, that's an extreme exertion. It's cold, they get the vasoconstriction of the arteries and that can trigger angina and heart attack. We've seen that quite frequently.
Baker: Do you wait to see how long it might take to see if it goes away? Or is there anything you could take to relieve it?
Dr. Saland: Taking an aspirin is helpful. An adult aspirin, 325-milligram aspirin.
And also, in some cases, if the person has nitroglycerin, we recommend taking it every five minutes until the pain is relieved. If it doesn't relieve after three nitroglycerin or 15 minutes, then we recommend seeking medical care.
RESOURCES:
Angina vs Heart Attack: Comparing Presentations and Treatments
