How Hot Weather and Humidity Impact Your Heart and Blood Pressure and How to Stay Safe

People look forward to summer for the sun, holidays, vacations, and more. Even with high humidity and heat, many people enjoy getting outdoors.

But if you live with cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure, the heat of summer can be detrimental to your health, including potentially life-threatening complications.

At the Honeycomb Medical Group in Memphis, Tennessee, and Holly Springs, Mississippi, our primary care specialists provide tips and treatment to help our chronic care management patients navigate the summer heat.

We also provide urgent care, routine checkups, and preventive care to protect the heart health of you and your loved ones year-round.

Humidity, heat, and your heart

Some people love the heat and humidity, while others take cover in the cool air conditioning indoors. If you have heart disease or high blood pressure, staying cool isn't just for comfort — it's also for safety.

Hot summers and high humidity take a toll on your heart in many ways. Extreme heat stresses the cardiovascular system, increasing the risk of serious health events from even short-term exposure.

Heat is dangerous for those with heart issues because it makes the heart work harder. There’s a risk of blood clots, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalances, which worsen heart disease.

The summer heat can also contribute to heart failure, leading to increased hospitalizations, acute myocardial infarctions, strokes, and arrhythmias. These issues increase the risk of mortality from heart disease.

How both affect blood pressure

Living with high blood pressure is another issue on hot summer days. Humidity plays a major role in blood pressure regulation and can be dangerous for those on hypertension medications.

Humid air reduces the efficiency of sweat evaporation, affecting how well the body cools itself. The result is vasodilation (blood vessel widening) near the skin and increased blood volume, making the heart work harder to cool down.

The added workload on the heart to pump more blood to the skin strains the heart, especially in those with heart issues and high blood pressure. 

Although high humidity and heat temporarily lower blood pressure, the strain of trying to stay cool increases the risk of cardiovascular failure.

Low humidity conditions lead to faster dehydration, which thickens the blood. The result is the heart working harder to pump thicker blood, increasing blood pressure and cardiovascular risk.

Tips to stay safe in the summer

Although the heat and humidity aren't ideal for them, heart patients can still enjoy summer by following a few expert suggestions:

• Do outdoor activities at the coolest time of day
• Wear loose, light-colored clothing
• Apply broad-spectrum SPF sunscreen and wear a hat
• Take breaks in the air conditioning
• Use fans indoors when it's below 90 degrees
• Cool off with a cold shower or a damp cloth
• Stay hydrated throughout the day
• Avoid strenuous activities in the heat
• Monitor blood pressure daily

It's essential to know the signs of dehydration, which affects the heart and blood pressure. If you notice dizziness, rapid heart rate, reduced sweating, or fatigue, get inside and drink water.

Continue taking your normal heart medications and come in as soon as possible if you have any concerns about heat complications.

To find out more about heart disease, high blood pressure, and heat, call us today at one of our five convenient Mid-South locations, including Lamar Avenue and South Memphis.