Welcome the National Day, start from the heart! Cardiovascular disease patients, please take note of the tips for safe vacation

October is a good time to go out and travel. The National Day holiday has arrived as scheduled, and it is accompanied by a strong cold air that should not be underestimated. According to the China Meteorological Observatory, at the beginning of the National Day, the temperature in most parts of the country continued to be low, with a drop of 10°C. The temperature fluctuated between cold and warm, and the temperature difference between day and night was large. Patients with existing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are more likely to relapse.

How does cooler weather affect cardiovascular health?

Cold stimulation can lead to increased sympathetic nerve excitement, causing sudden contraction of blood vessels, increasing peripheral vascular resistance, and thus causing high blood pressure. Cold can also lead to decreased respiratory resistance, causing inflammation, and increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, especially for some patients with underlying cardiovascular diseases. Upper respiratory tract infections can easily induce the occurrence of heart failure.

Under climate change, how can we make our bodies adapt to the environment quickly and go out for fun without worry? Professor Yang Jun from the Department of Cardiology at Hunan Provincial People's Hospital said that during the cooling season, we need to prevent chronic diseases from turning into acute diseases and keep in mind the "three preparations" and "four musts":

1. Prepare for basic health check before traveling to ensure that your physical condition is suitable for travel;

2. Prepare enough daily medications. Patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases need to take medications on time and should not stop taking medications or increase or decrease the dosage at will. Carry appropriate amounts of emergency medicines and motion sickness medicines, such as Suyao Jiuxin Pills and nitroglycerin;

3. Prepare a reasonable travel plan to avoid fatigue during the journey and try to choose low-intensity and low-stress activities;

4. Be sure to take measures to keep warm, pay attention to the climate changes at the destination, and prepare sufficient, portable and comfortable clothing;

5. Avoid sitting for long periods of time. When traveling by public transportation, pay attention to proper exercise to prevent blood stasis in the lower limbs, which may lead to vascular embolism.

6. Make sure to eat regularly, pay attention to the proper combination of three meals, drink water in time, and avoid eating too greasy food. Although there are many delicious foods during the trip, you should only try a few and not eat too much or too cold food;

7. Be sure to keep your emotions stable. Emotional excitement, nervousness and irritability can cause high blood pressure and increased heart rate, and increase myocardial oxygen consumption. When traveling or gathering, you need to maintain a calm state of mind and avoid excessive excitement.

Regardless of whether it is a holiday or not, patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases should eat a proper diet, keep warm, quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption, get enough rest and maintain a good mood. Finally, I wish you all a happy holiday!

Hunan Medical Chat Special Author: Zhou Yan, Department of Cardiology, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital

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(Edited by YH)