Cold weather represents heart health risk

Individuals who require a prescription to buy Plavix may want to stay away from cold-weather activities such as shoveling or exercising outdoors. A new study indicates that people with impaired cardiovascular function may be more likely to experience a heart attack when they are active in the cold.

When a person is engaged in physical activity, their heart requires more oxygen. However, the Penn State University researchers found that breathing in cold air can make it harder for the heart muscle to get as much oxygen as it needs.

For the study, the team asked groups of healthy individuals to engage in basic physical activities in a cold-weather setting. The researchers monitored participants' hearts during this time.

The results showed that, as expected, participants' hearts demanded more oxygen. Furthermore, the cold air inhibited the body's normal processes for delivering higher levels of oxygen.

The cardiovascular systems of the healthy study participants were able to compensate for this problem. However, the researchers pointed out that a person with impaired heart health may be less able to regulate the flow of oxygen to their heart. This may result in a cardiovascular event.