August 11th, 2010
Colder Outdoor Temperatures Linked to Increase in MIs
Larry Husten, PHD
Researchers in the U.K. used data from 84,000 MI hospitalizations to assess the relationship between the risk for MI and ambient temperature. In their report in the British Medical Journal, Krishnan Bhaskaran and colleagues found no change in risk associated with higher temperatures, but observed a significant 2% increase in the risk for MI associated with each 1° C reduction in daily mean temperature. The investigators also found that adults 75 to 84 years of age and those with a history of coronary heart disease “seemed more vulnerable to the effects of cold than other age groups,” while people taking aspirin were less vulnerable.
In an accompanying editorial, Paola Michelozzi and Manuela De Sario write that “clinicians should be aware that exposure to environmental heat and cold is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and should consider this in risk prevention and management.” They also discuss the implications of the study in the context of global warming.
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