A new study has found that extremely high or low temperatures significant increase the number of deaths caused by heart failure or stroke.
A team of researchers led by Dr. Alex-andra Schneider at the Institute of Epidemiology II at the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen have confirmed that high temperatures can affect the blood-clotting mechanism and make the blood more viscous, thereby increasing the risk of thrombosis, while decreasing temperatures have an impact on blood pressure, thus increasing risk of death in both cases.
The study has also shown that elderly and people with pre-existing medical conditions respond particularly sensitively to heat and cold.
The study examined the impact of extreme temperatures on the number of deaths caused by cardiovascular disease in both high and low temperatures, and the findings could help in identifying population subgroups who are particularly at risk and take preventive action.
The study was published in the medical journal Heart.