Heart health for the holidays

TORONTO (Reuters) - Cold weather and some holiday-related behaviors can exacerbate existing heart conditions, and deaths from heart disease hit their peak every December and January, with spikes on Christmas Day and New Year's Day, according to a University of California-San Diego study.

It's unclear why winter makes heart disease deadlier, but the statistics on deaths in December and January show that cold weather can spell disaster, said Dr. Cam Patterson, chief of cardiology and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Part of the problem, Patterson said, is that many people aren't aware they have heart disease until it becomes symptomatic - for example, when they have a heart attack.

"In many cases the heart disease is a ticking time bomb and cold weather is what sets it off."

IMPACT OF COLD WEATHER

There are several weather-related factors that affect heart heath, Patterson said. Exposure to cold weather can increase blood pressure, which stresses the heart. Blood also becomes thicker in the cold, which can increase the risk of clotting. And lower temperatures lead the blood vessels to constrict, which reduces blood flow. All three of those factors can combine to spell disaster for someone with heart disease, he said.

Winter-related activities play a factor as well. Heavy snowfalls, like those seen in the east over the past week, can cause someone to overexert himself -- Patterson gave the classic example of the couch potato who has a heart attack while shoveling snow.

HOLIDAY HABITS

People tend to drink more than usual during the holidays as well, which can lead to something doctors refer to as "holiday heart" -- a rapid, irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation, caused when alcohol irritates the muscle of the heart's top chamber.

Changes in diet can also have an impact that sticks around well past January. For adults, most of their weight gain comes during the holidays, Patterson said, and that extra weight tends to still be there by the same time next year.

"It's harder and harder each year to stay healthy, from a heart perspective, when that's going on," said Patterson.

If you find yourself feeling blue over the holiday season, watch for the possible risks that could mean for your health, Patterson advised. "There's a link between your mood and your heart on a number of different levels." If depression lingers, see your doctor about your options."

HEART-HEALTHY TIPS

There's plenty that can be done in advance to avoid visiting an ER during the holidays. The best thing you can do is pay attention to your portion sizes during meals. Patterson suggests putting healthy items on your plate first, leaving less room for unhealthy options. He also recommends choosing a few special days for dietary splurges, rather than a few weeks. "Don't think of it as a holiday season, think of it as a holiday."

Planning ahead also helps. If you're going to be traveling, pack healthy items for airport waits in your carry-on luggage. If you already take medication for a heart condition, make sure you have enough to get you through the season and bring it with you if you travel -- just a few missed doses can have serious health consequences.

Longer term, a regular exercise routine will help you stay heart-healthy throughout the year. And it's always important to know your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers, Patterson said. Keeping track of these health statistics can help catch heart problems early. "One of the challenges with heart disease is that so many people walk around with severe heart disease that is not yet symptomatic."

Are you worried about your heart this holiday season? Tell us about it: HealthMatters@reuters.com