Heat Exposure Linked to Increased Heart Stress and Impaired Blood Flow in Adults, Study Finds

A recent study revealed that heat exposure stresses the hearts of adults by increasing blood flow to the heart's walls. The researchers also discovered that some adults with heart disease experienced obstructed blood flow due to heat, even if they showed no external symptoms.

According to the researchers, including experts from Canada's Montreal Heart Institute, adults in this group may find relief by keeping cool to mitigate the strain heat imposes on their hearts.

According to a report of PTI, For the study, published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, the team recruited 61 adults -- 20 healthy young adults, 21 healthy older adults and 20 older adults with coronary artery disease (CAD) -- to see how exposure to extreme heat impacted the heart.

CAD, a condition characterized by narrowed blood vessels supplying the heart due to plaque buildup, restricts blood flow to the organ. In a study, researchers induced a 1.5 degrees Celsius increase in participants' core body temperatures and measured their myocardial blood flow (MBF) – the blood reaching the heart muscle walls. They observed that blood flow to the heart muscles increased in all participants as their body temperatures rose by 1.5 degrees Celsius.