Cold Weather

I collapsed yesterday with an arrhythmia for no good reason at all! Usually my events happen only when my body is under moderate stress (I'm rushing, dehydrated, out of shape, etc.), but on this occasion I was simply walking down a city sidewalk. In this case, the weather was the only extreme element, and I am wondering if anyone else has difficulty breathing/functioning in the cold air. It was maybe 10°F at the time (if that). Anyone else? I just hate it when these things aren't explainable in some rational way!

2 Comments

Hi,

by ElectricFrank - 2009-01-18 07:01:06

Hi,
From your profile it looks like you don't have a pacemaker. It sounds like you may be a good candidate for one.

You have made a good observation about stress bringing on these arrythmias. One possible reason for cold weather affecting you is that breathing cold air into the lungs causes a drop in the blood temperature that is being delivered to the left ventricle. This can affect the nerve bundles. I have read that breathing cold air can bring on an angina attack by causing the coronary arteries to constrict.

I'm not an expert on this sort of thing, but it might give you some rational information to pursue.

frank

Off to the library!

by Broken Hearted Jane - 2009-01-19 10:01:11

I do, actually (a pacer/defibrillator). What I meant when I said that I had an arrhythmia for no reason at all was that usually I can attribute them to dehydration and stress.

I'm definitely going to do some research on the effects of cold weather on the heart---I did not know that about the temperature affecting blood in the left ventricle. Makes a lot of sense.

Thanks, Frank!
(And I will be sure to update my profile.)

You know you're wired when...

You have a high-tech ticker.

Member Quotes

I am just thankful that I am alive and that even though I have this pacemaker it is not the end of the world.