Hot weather doesn’t just increase the risk of heat exhaustion and stroke, it also increases the stress on your heart.
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the connection between extreme heat and heart complications is linked to about a quarter of heat-related deaths. While so many across the Houston area struggle without power, local emergency rooms are seeing the strain in patients with chronic conditions getting worse right now.
Dr. Carrie Bakunas with UT Health Houston said patients can’t get oxygen or dialysis and are ending up in the ER.
Diseases that get worse in the heat include:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Arrhythmia
- Previous heart attack
- Epilepsy
- Migraines
- Skin disorders (such as eczema or psoriasis)
- Multiple sclerosis
“Fatigue is one of the biggest symptoms of people with MS. Heat is a really big trigger of fatigue. It also can lead to changes in mobility,” said Dr. Stephanie Silveria with UT Health Houston and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Other conditions made worse by the heat include:
- Mental health conditions (such as schizophrenia)
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Parkinson’s
- Diabetes
- Sickle cell trait
- Alcohol use disorder
Medications affected by heat:
Diuretics used to treat heart failure and medications used to treat high blood pressure can make you more likely to experience heat-related illness.
Any medications (like injections, insulin, and antibiotics) that need to be refrigerated can lose potency without being kept cold.