polluted air.
Even with precautions, it’s important to seek medical help when problems arise, Yong notes.
“If you have shortness of breath, difficulty breathing or persistent coughing, contact your health care provider,” she adds, adding that if you have symptoms of a heart attack or stroke, call 911 immediately.
Hurricane prep
The U.S. this year can expect up to nine hurricanes, including as many as four “major hurricanes,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s forecast for the Atlantic hurricane season that runs June 1 to Nov. 30. With the storms come unique challenges and risks.
Cardiovascular disease joined drowning and injury as one of the top causes of death after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast region in 2005. Hurricanes have been shown to cause and worsen cardiovascular disease for years after a storm, according to a 2021 review in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
When a tropical storm or hurricane approaches, people with cardiovascular disease need to be aware of their stress levels.
“They worry about themselves and their loved ones and their homes, and as a result, their blood pressure may rise,” according to Dr. Benjamin Springgate, chief of community and population medicine at Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans.
“A hurricane may also cause the power and air conditioning to go out for an extended period, which may expose people to higher temperatures and particulate matter in the air and cause additional risk,” he shares.
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What you can do to protect yourself
Being prepared can help tamp down both the stress and the risk of an acute cardiac event, Springgate says.
For example, it’s important to make evacuation plans. If you have special needs, like oxygen, find out in advance which evacuation shelter can accommodate you.
Call ahead to find out the best way to contact your doctor in case of a long power outage. Make a list of all your medications and have a refill available. “Pharmacies can be closed for weeks at a time after a hurricane,” Springgate notes.
And be prepared in case the hurricane forecast changes so quickly that you have to shelter in place. Essentials include water, nonperishable foods such as canned goods, medications, flashlights and a radio with extra batteries, a whistle, and a phone with a charged portable battery.
The earlier you can prepare, the better. In other words, don’t wait until you hear the hurricane has intensified and is heading toward shore to begin to prepare, Springgate suggests.
“There’s a wide cone of uncertainty of where and when the storm makes landfall, and only a very short period of time to respond,” he adds. “The more you plan in advance, the less stressful it will be and the less risk you’ll have for adverse outcomes.”
By American Heart Association