© Copyright Manfred Kaiser 2007
Is the recent cold snap
causing my chest pain?
Angina pectoris describes a chest pain, caused by a lack of blood, and hence oxygen, of the heart muscle. The cold snap by itself may not be strong enough to cause the short supply, but in combination with coronary heart disease, it could be enough to cause serious problems. In many cases, this may require hospitalisation.
People who are prone to angina pectoris events usually know of their weather sensitivity, but could be caught unprepared without bioweather forecasts.
Wikipedia describes the symptoms and treatment as follows:
“Most patients with angina pectoris complain of chest discomfort rather than actual
pain: the discomfort is usually described as a pressure, heaviness, squeezing, burning,
or choking sensation. Apart from chest discomfort, anginal pains may also be experienced
in the epigastrium (upper central abdomen), back, neck, jaw, or shoulders. Typical
locations for radiation of pain are arms, shoulders, and neck. Angina is typically
precipitated by exertion or emotional stress. It is exacerbated by having a full
stomach and by cold temperatures. Pain may be accompanied by breathlessness, sweating
and nausea in some cases. It usually lasts for about 1 to 5 minutes, and is relieved
by rest or specific anti-
“Identifying and treating risk factors for further coronary heart disease is a priority in patients with angina. This means testing for elevated cholesterol and other fats in the blood, diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure), encouraging stopping smoking and weight optimisation.”
Cold snaps are quite common over summer. They bring relief from stifling heatwaves, but the body has not much time to adjust to the rapid drop in temperature and is, therefore, subjected to immense stress, in particular the cardiovascular system.
The immediate response by the body is self-
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