It isn't too surprising that death rates rise during the
winter in frigid climates. But who would expect the same increase in mortality
during Los Angeles winters? New research shows that winter, no matter how
balmy, is a dangerous time for your heart.
Dr. Robert Kloner and Dr. Bryan Schwartz led a research
study at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles to evaluate seasonal influences
on mortality. They looked at death records from seven cities across the country
for the years 2005 through 2008. They selected cities in California, Texas,
Georgia, Arizona, Washington, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania to survey a broad
range of climates.
The researchers expected cold weather to play a role in
cardiovascular deaths. Cold temperatures cause blood vessels to constrict (get
smaller) which increases blood pressure. Higher blood pressure can trigger
strokes, aneurysms and heart attacks.
The data were surprising. All seven cities had
essentially the same seasonal variation for deaths. No city was statistically different
from the others. All of the cities showed a 26-36 percent increase in deaths
between the low point in the summer and the high point (mortality wise) in the
winter.

This tells us that the winter is when we need to be even
more vigilant to maintain our healthy eating habits and continue our exercise.
Even a walk around the block can help. Don’t let the winter doldrums lull you
into unhealthy behavior!
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