Experts share how to protect your heart throughout the seasons

ST. JOSPEH, Mo (News-Press Now) -- According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, heart disease is the leading cause of death in Missouri.

Dangerous temperatures can increase the risk for those with heart conditions. Some of those risks include heart attacks, strokes, dehydration and even reduced effectiveness of certain medications due to the heat.

The human body is able to control its body temperature, which is called thermoregulation, but people with heart disease have a hard time regulating their body temperature.

Chief Medical Officer of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Dr. Heidi Miller, said that people with heart disease have to work harder to fill up their blood vessels.

“Now, if somebody has a heart condition, that dilation or increase in the size of the blood vessels in the periphery around the skin can actually mean that the heart has to work really hard to fill up those blood vessels," Miller said.

Although hot days can be tough on people with heart disease, Miller said she encourages her patients to go outside, preferably in the morning.

“Not only is it cooler first thing in the morning,  but we have a clock in our brain that we've had genetically for thousands of years. And it's called a circadian rhythm.  And we do well when we are exposed to the sun, when the sun rises. There's also more infrared rays. It's good for the mood," she said.

Heart medications can be affected in the heat. Miller said people with heart disease need to take special precautions if they are on heart medication.

"But certain medications like diuretics, which help with heart disease, heart failure, blood pressure, really good, helpful medication, can make someone more likely to become dehydrated," she said.

Ways to stay safe during extreme heat if you have a type of heart disease are to stay in air-conditioned spaces, drink plenty of fluids, and wear loose, light colored clothing.

Not only does extreme heat have effects on the body, but extreme freezing temperatures can affect people with heart disease as well. 

During cold temperatures, especially for people with heart disease, their blood pressure can go up due to their heart pumping blood against smaller blood vessels.

Doing any extreme activity in the winter, like pushing a car stuck in snow or shoveling, could put a high demand on the heart.

"The supply of oxygen is lower and the heart is under incredible stress. And there is a statistical correlation of an increase in heart attacks, cardiac arrest, which is when the heart just stops working," Miller said.

The best way to prevent and treat heart disease is by staying active. 

"Being active very often involves being outside. And so it's really good during the spring to be outside getting used to the temperature, especially as the temperature is gradually warming up," Miller said.