Extreme heat can do more than leave you feeling uncomfortable. It can put serious strain on your body, especially your heart.

Spending time outdoors in hot temperatures causes your heart to work harder as your body works to cool you off. Add dehydration to the mix, and your heart can experience significant stress.

For people with healthy hearts, extreme heat is just sticky and uncomfortable. For people with cardiovascular disease, it can be dangerous.

“When we’re in hot environments, the body pushes more blood flow to the skin to help release heat, which forces the heart to pump harder and faster. For people with cardiovascular disease, dehydration and high temperatures can significantly increase stress on the heart,” said Charu Gupta, MD, a cardiologist at Endeavor Health.

Who faces the highest risk during extreme heat

Some people are more vulnerable to heat-related illness than others, including older adults, young children and people living with heart disease.

People taking certain heart medications, such as beta blockers, angiotensin receptor blockers, ace inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, and diuretics should take steps to avoid overheating, as these medications can affect the body’s normal response to heat.  

“This doesn’t mean you should stop taking your medication. Instead, make sure you take steps to avoid extreme heat,” Dr. Gupta said. “Anyone with heart disease should take precautions in hot weather, as the physical stress it causes could lead to heart attack or stroke.”

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Tips to protect your heart in hot weather

These tips will help you keep cool and stay safe in the heat:

  1. Stay hydrated. Drink more water, even if you’re not thirsty. Sweating leads to dehydration and can cause slower blood flow.
  2. Go indoors or get shade. If you start to feel too hot, get inside an air-conditioned space or under an umbrella.
  3. Dress light. Wear light colors and breathable clothing.
  4. Watch the clock. Save workouts and other strenuous activities for early morning or evening, when the sun isn’t as hot.
  5. Avoid dehydrating drinks. Cut back on caffeine and alcohol, which can dehydrate you.
  6. Listen to your body. If you start to feel nauseous, develop a headache, weakness or dizziness, get into an air-conditioned space right away.

Warning signs of heat-related illness

Beyond heart strain, everyone should be familiar with the symptoms of heatstroke and heat exhaustion and how to avoid those conditions.

Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are two levels of illness you can experience when your body loses its ability to maintain its internal temperature.

People older than 65, young children and people with heart disease or who are taking blood pressure medication face the highest risk for heatstroke and heat exhaustion.

Heatstroke and heat exhaustion have some symptoms in common:

  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Passing out

Heat exhaustion signs

With heat exhaustion, a person may also feel:

  • Weakness
  • Heavy sweating
  • Muscle cramps
  • Cold/pale/clammy skin

If you experience these symptoms, go to a cool place and loosen or remove heavy clothing. Take a cool bath or put cool, wet cloths on your skin. Sip cool water. If you’re still feeling ill after an hour of that treatment, get medical help.

Heatstroke signs

Heatstroke is what happens when heat exhaustion is left untreated. Heatstroke has additional, more troubling symptoms, including:

  • Confusion or hallucinations
  • A high body temperature (103 degrees and higher)
  • Hot, red skin (dry or damp)
  • Fast, strong pulse

When someone experiences heatstroke, it’s a medical emergency. Call 911 immediately.
Do whatever you can to cool the person down. Try cool, wet cloths, misting with water or a garden hose or a cool bath. Provide cool (not ice cold) water to drink.

Talk to your doctor about staying healthy in extreme heat if you have heart disease or concerns about how your medications may affect you in hot weather.

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