How do you feel in hot weather?

[EmilysMom]

We are having unusually hot weather here in upstate NY for June. Yesterday was a record-breaker, at 95 degrees. That may not sound hot to some of you from those awful places you live in, but it is here. School is not out and the schools are not air-conditioned.

The heat is making Emily feel lousy. She is very fatigued and gets lightheaded and dizzy. This is new for her, and concerns her.

How does hot weather affect others with HCM?

[Cynaburst]

Badly. I try to stay out of the extreme heat at all costs.

[mtlieb]

Hi EM,

Right below ya here in PA.

I am miserable in hot weather, and I am miserable in high humidity. Put them both together (like today) and it's downright unbearable! My breath is short, my temper is short, I get edema, my exercise tolerance plummets, I can't concentrate, every little thing bothers me, simple tasks seem impossible, and I'm generally just not a nice person to be around. ;)

My new apartment has central air, and I am in heaven.

Jim

[Pam Alexson]

Very short of breath nauseous and swollen like a big balloon. Air conditioning helps control the effects but I still feel them. The humid hot air is just awful and I would say it is reason to play hooky or take work home.. valid excuse. HCM hearts do not respond well in hot, humid weather. As you know vasodilation is a challenge for the thick heart.



Heat And Heart Conditions Can Be A Dangerous Combination, AAHFN Warns

07 Aug 2007

The high heat and humidity of the dog days of summer are uncomfortable for most of us, but for those with heart conditions, they can be dangerous -- even deadly. The American Association of Heart Failure Nurses (AAHFN) wants to remind individuals with cardiovascular disease of the risks of hot weather.

"While most of us know not to overexert during hot spells, you don't have to run a marathon to get become ill, especially those with heart conditions," said AAHFN President Robin Trupp. "It's easy to experience heat exhaustion or heat stroke doing simple, everyday activities, so it's important to be extra- careful during extreme heat."

AAHFN is a specialty organization dedicated to advancing nursing education, clinical practice and research to improve outcomes for patients with heart failure.

Heat and Your Heart

Our bodies are programmed to maintain a temperature of about 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit for optimum performance. If the body's temperature rises even a couple of degrees, it tries to cool itself down, mostly through perspiration and dilation of the blood vessels. The evaporating sweat cools the body and as a result of the larger blood vessel size, the heart beats faster and the blood pressure decreases.

"That increased heart rate and lower blood pressure can cause problems for those with heart disease," explained Trupp. "It might reach dangerous, even deadly, levels. As a rule, those with heart disease are sensitive to extremes in temperatures due to the challenges placed on the heart."

For those with heart failure, whose hearts may not be able to pump any harder to keep the body sufficiently cool and blood pressure high enough. As a result, the body can be become dangerously over-heated, and the result can be fatal.

Medications taken by many patients with heart disease can also cause problems in extreme heat, such as diuretics or water pills to reduce the fluid retention. During hot weather, diuretics may actually cause dehydration. However, patients should be warned against drinks large amounts of fluid, as recommended to the general public during heat spells, as this could add significant stress on heart and the cardiovascular system.

Beta-blockers, which are commonly prescribed, can prevent the heart from beating as rapidly as it needs to during hot weather, thereby limiting the body's ability to cool down.

Keep Your Cool

Overall, individuals with heart disease should follow the same guidelines as healthy individuals, but with an extra helping of precaution:

-- Stay inside during the hottest part of the day.

-- If your home isn't air conditioned, try to find someplace that is.

-- Limit your activity.

-- Wear loose-fitting, light clothing.

-- Stay hydrated and avoid caffeine and alcohol.

-- Have someone check in on you.

Recognizing Danger Signs

Knowing the signs of heat-related illness and knowing what to do can help save a life. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identifies two types -- heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Heat exhaustion is a milder heat-related illness that can develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures and an excessive loss of water and salt through sweat. According to the CDC, warning signs include:

-- Heavy sweating

-- Muscle cramps

-- Weakness

-- Dizziness

-- Headaches

-- Fainting

Anyone with heart problems or high blood pressure experiencing these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention.

Heat stroke, the most severe heat-related illness, occurs when the body is unable to regulate its temperature. Temperatures may rise to 106 degrees Fahrenheit or higher within 10 to 15 minutes. Heat stroke can cause death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not provided.

The CDC lists these warning signs:

-- Extremely high body temperature (above 103 degrees Fahrenheit)

-- Red, hot, and dry skin (no sweating)

-- Rapid pulse

-- Throbbing headache

-- Dizziness

-- Nausea

-- Confusion

If you see any of these signs, have someone call for immediate medical assistance while you start cooling the victim by getting them to a shady area and immersing them in cool water. Do not give the person any fluids.

"Taking the proper precautions during hot weather can significantly reduce an individual's chances of suffering from heat-related illness this summer," said Trupp.

About AAHFN: The American Association of Heart Failure Nurses (AAHFN) is dedicated to advancing nursing education, clinical practice and research to improve outcomes for heart failure patients. For information visit http://www.aahfn.org

American Association of Heart Failure Nurses
http://www.aahfn.org

[gfox42]

I've lived in Arizona and Florida combined for something like 18 yrs, and much of the time I lived in Arizona I was working in the desert in the summer. Heat is hard on you, no doubt. But the major problem I've always had is staying hydrated. Thirst is no indicator of how dehydrated you've become -- one thing I learned to do when working in the desert was to force myself to drink regardless of thirst. I don't always manage to force myself enough, but at least that means that I'm less dehydrated than I'd be otherwise.


I've never had the problems the others have described.

Gordon

[Largehearted]

Ditto to all the above. I just don't do much at all in this kind of weather. It kills me!

Leon

[Larry]

Well, other than some well managed hypertension, I don't have a heart condition like many in my family.
However, days like this make me feel like Margaret Hamilton did at the end of that movie from 1939.

[EmilysDad]

Larry,

I bit, I had to look up Margaret Hamilton. She was an actress best known for her portrayal of the "Wicked Witch of the West" in the "Wizard of Oz." The famous line that Larry refers to is "Help me, I'm melting..."
Bob

[Larry]

Yup, you got it! She was green before it was fashionable too! Did you know that her broom was a hybrid? :)

[Midge Rollins]

Thanks for the humor. Yes, I can relate to how Emily feels. I remember it well. Tired, sob, etc. Have her keep drinking. Even now after my transplant I do not handle heat well. Of course here in Ia. we are flooding away. It was so good to meet Emily and Mom and Dad too. Hope you get a heat break

[Bucky]

What can I say....In Vegas it is only 102-103 today. A mild Spring Day with some 8 days left till summer. The killer is the humidity I think. I lived in Cleveland, OH for a number of years and when it got to 90 F and 100% Humidity I couldn't drink enough water to get comfortable.

Sorry for you folks back east. Come enjoy some cool weather out here. You know what they always say......."but, it's a dry heat". That only works until the temp gets above 110 believe me.

Take care all,

bucky

[tyreke28]

How do I feel on a hottttt muggggggy day....? I feel....how can I say this without being offensive...I feel like CRUD...this is putting it mildly. The school's here in Philly had half days yesterday and today. More than half the school's here are not air conditioned. Everyone, heart condition or not, is feeling the 98 degrees plus humidity...feels like 110 degrees. Both a/cs are on....major storm coming need to go secure the house.

:)

[delfam]

I feel the same way Emily feels. I try to stay in any air condition enviroment either home or car. It's harder to breathe. I'm always wet from sweating. I make sure I have plenty of liquids.

[EmilysMom]

Thanks for all your responses.

Thanks Pam (again) for the technical information. I guess we knew most of that, but it is good to put it all together. It makes sense if you vaso-dialte and are on beta blockers, you are going to have some ill effects.

Good news here is that the front came through and we are going to have a low humidity, pleasant day. :cool:

[PandaPAB]

I noticed, though I am new to this...that the humidity is AWFUL to me!!

Of course, it HAS been awful...for a long time, but never realized why.

I'm more SOB on the hot miserably humid days...

Did OK on our trip to AZ right before dx...must be the 'dry heat' lol...but if I pushed it, I was terribly SOB...but again, I didn't know why at the time.

[harrisb01]

Hi all
I've just returned to my home here in the desert from a few weeks out of town, so I have had the perfect chance to compare climates. I find that I have a very hard time with the heat- more than ever before. After reading this thread, I've come to the conclusion that this is due directly or indirectly (Beta blocker) to HCM.

My experience now is that with minimal exertion, I get rather light headed. My friends where I volunteer (a hippotherapy program) tell me I turn bright red. They are aware of the HCM and let me pace myself, plus I am making more effort to hydrate myself. I should always be drinking more water, but I feel bloated so quickly when I drink as much as I should. I think it is important to remember that one should hydrate regularly, not , for example, just in the hour before an activity. That doesn't compensate for not retaining an adequate level of hydration.

I'm learning. Thanks to you all!
Barbara