Global warming increases risk of ischemic stroke, cardiac arrest: study

A recent study revealed that global warming is having a devastating impact on human health, particularly among elderly people and women, increasing the risk of ischemic stroke and cardiac arrest.

A study published in Medical News Today stated heat stroke severely impacts blood vessels and stops blood circulation, leading to ischemic stroke. 

Ischemic stroke occurs when a vessel supplying blood to the brain is obstructed. The blood circulation system runs with the heart's performance.

The researchers analysed temperature and humidity data from land and ocean surfaces between 2011 and 2020, which was the warmest decade globally.

The reaearchers also examined patient data from a German hospital over a 15-year period, finding 11,037 cases of heat-related illnesses among patients during warm months. The average age of patients was 71.

Cardiologist Cheng-Han Chen, MD of Saddleback Medical Center, California, explained that the cardiovascular system plays a crucial role in thermal regulation and extreme heat can push the system under stress, causing blood vessels to constrict and dilate, which leads to cardiovascular events like heart attacks and ischemic strokes.

Dr. Jayne Morgan, a cardiologist and Executive Director of Health and Community Education at Piedmont Healthcare Corporation in Atlanta, expressed concerns about the destructive impact of climate change on cardiovascular health.

She also highlighted the effects of pollution and particulate matter on healthy heart tissues. 

To mitigate the effects of heat, Morgan recommended taking cool baths and showers and applying cool clothes to the neck, forehead, and torso to lower body temperature.