Heat Waves and Heart Attacks: How Extreme Weather Affects Cardiac Risk
Research Finds That Even Mild Temperature Spikes Can Increase Cardiovascular Deaths
As global temperatures climb and heatwaves become more common, researchers are finding that our hearts may be among the most vulnerable organs. Scientists report a direct link between high temperatures and cardiovascular deaths. Extreme heat and heart disease is closely linked. In fact, for each 1°C rise in daily temperature, the rate of heart-related deaths goes up by roughly 2.1%. During multi-day heatwaves, the risk is even higher—jumping by nearly 12%.
Why Hot Weather Strains the Cardiovascular System
In response to intense heat, the body attempts to lower its temperature by expanding blood vessels close to the skin’s surface. While this helps with heat loss, it lowers blood pressure. To compensate, the heart has to pump faster and harder, which can stress already narrowed or damaged arteries.
At the same time, sweating causes the body to lose fluids and minerals. This makes the blood thicker and harder to pump, increasing the chances of heart strain or even heart attacks—especially in people who are dehydrated, older, or taking diuretics.
Heat can also raise inflammation and trigger changes in blood clotting. Under high temperatures, the body becomes more prone to forming clots, which can lead to blocked arteries and sudden cardiac events.
Heatwaves and Emergency Room Surges
Data from recent years show that hot days often coincide with a spike in hospital visits for heart attacks and related conditions. In fact, some studies estimate that about 2–3% of heart attack deaths in certain regions can be directly tied to extreme heat combined with air pollution.
Heatwaves lasting several days and nights significantly raise health risks. Research analyzing millions of cardiac deaths in China between 2013 and 2019 found that when both day and night temperatures stayed high, the chance of dying from a heart-related cause nearly doubled. Even single hot days raised the risk by around 16–19%.
Pollution Makes It Worse
Hot weather doesn’t just stress the heart—it also makes the air we breathe more harmful. High temperatures trap pollutants like ozone and fine particles (PM₂.₅), especially in urban areas. These tiny particles can travel deep into the lungs and bloodstream, triggering inflammation and damaging blood vessels.
When air pollution and extreme heat happen at the same time, the effects are much worse than either on their own. Days marked solely by extreme heat have been associated with a rise in overall death rates exceeding 6%. On heavily polluted days, it rose by 5%. But when both occurred together, deaths surged by over 21%.
Wildfire smoke, which is full of PM₂.₅, has also been linked to sharp increases in heart attacks during major fire seasons.
A Global Issue with Unequal Impact
Around 93,000 cardiovascular-related deaths across the globe in 2019 were attributed to elevated temperatures. The burden was not evenly distributed: South and Southeast Asia, along with parts of Africa, saw the largest numbers. Many of these areas lack robust healthcare systems and the necessary infrastructure to effectively respond to severe weather conditions.
In Australia, researchers estimate that more than 7% of the nation’s heart disease burden is already linked to heat exposure. This percentage is expected to rise significantly by 2050 if climate conditions continue on their current path.
While stroke may have the highest relative sensitivity to heat, conditions like ischemic heart disease and heart failure also show clear increases in risk during hot weather.
One city-based study in China found that extreme heat days were associated with a 56% increase in ischemic heart disease deaths, even though cold weather had an even higher relative impact. Because ischemic heart disease is so common, the overall burden from heat remains significant—especially in Asia, where such deaths have been steadily rising since 1990.
Steps to Protect High-Risk Individuals
Health agencies advise doctors and patients to take precautions during hot weather. This includes staying hydrated, limiting physical activity during the hottest parts of the day, and monitoring both temperature and air quality forecasts.
Patients with existing heart conditions should speak with their doctors about medications that may make them more vulnerable to heat, like certain blood pressure drugs or diuretics.
