Weather and Health
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Low blood pressure
Rising temperature causes dilated blood vessels. This lets more blood flow to the
skin. The heart needs then to apply less pressure to pump the same amount of blood
through the vessels – causing a blood pressure reduction. A comparison between outside
air temperatures and the blood pressure of blood donors reveals an average 10-
This sounds good for people with high blood pressure. Keep in mind, however, that when the body needs to shed excess heat, the pulse rate increases dramatically and puts the heart under considerable strain. Physical exertion in combination with an underlying heart disease is a major contributor to high death rates during heat waves.
Symptoms (Wikipedia)
Low blood pressure is often accompanied by:
* Chest pain
* Shortness of breath
* Irregular heartbeat
* Fever higher than 101 °F (38.3 °C)
* Headache
* Stiff neck
* Severe upper back pain
* Cough with phlegm
* Prolonged diarrhea or vomiting
* Inability to eat or drink
* Burning with urination
* Foul-
* Adverse effect of medications
* Acute, life-
* Dizziness, or light-
* Seizures
* Loss of consciousness
* Profound fatigue