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Aug 23, 2018 · The researchers found that every 1°C decrease in indoor temperature was associated with rises of 0.48 mmHg in systolic blood pressure and 0.45 mmHg in diastolic blood pressure. Ideal blood pressure is considered to be between 90/60 mmHg and 120/80 mmHg, as per NHS guidelines.*
- Overview
- Temperature and blood pressure
- Should doctors consider indoor temperature?
According to a recently published study, living in a cooler house might be a risk factor for hypertension. The authors believe that the temperature of the home should be discussed with people who are at risk.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects more than 100 million adults in the United States.
Though hypertension rarely produces significant symptoms, it increases the risk that other more serious problems may develop, such as stroke and heart attack.
High blood pressure is increasingly prevalent and lays the groundwork for significant and potentially life-changing health outcomes.
For these reasons, it is important to understand why it occurs and how it can be managed. Many risk factors — such as older age, a family history of hypertension, an unhealthful diet, being overweight, smoking tobacco, and drinking too much alcohol — are already known.
A recent study, conducted at University College London (UCL) in the United Kingdom, adds a new risk factor to the list: the temperature of your home.
Earlier research has tentatively linked colder living conditions to an increased risk of hypertension; however, these studies did not have access to nationally representative data, making their results less solid.
The most recent study, which was carried out in a large number of participants, makes much more robust conclusions about the relationship between home temperature and blood pressure.
To investigate, the researchers took data from the Health Survey for England 2014, which included information from 4,659 individuals aged 16 or over. Initially, each participant completed questionnaires on lifestyle factors.
Next, they were visited by a nurse who measured the ambient temperature in their living room and assessed their systolic and diastolic blood pressure, or measures of the force of the heart’s contraction and the resistance in blood vessels, respectively.
A healthy blood pressure is considered to be between 90/60 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and 120/80 mmHg.
They found that for every 1°C decrease in temperature, there was an increase of 0.48 mmHg in systolic blood pressure and 0.45 mmHg in diastolic blood pressure.
These findings were significant even after the data had been adjusted to account for potentially confounding variables, such as socioeconomic demographics and outdoor temperature.
The relationship between indoor temperature and blood pressure was most pronounced in the participants who did not exercise regularly. Therefore, increased levels of exercise might help reverse the potential negative effects of living in cooler temperatures.
Senior study author Dr. Stephen Jivraj, from UCL’s Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care, explains.
“Our research,” he says, “has helped to explain the higher rates of hypertension, as well as potential increases in deaths from stroke and heart disease, in the winter months, suggesting indoor temperatures should be taken more seriously in diagnosis and treatment decisions, and in public health messages.”
The researchers believe that the new study provides strong enough evidence to be used to advise certain patients with hypertension.
“We would suggest that clinicians take indoor temperature into consideration, as it could affect a diagnosis if someone has borderline hypertension, and people with cooler homes may also need higher doses of medications.”
Aug 23, 2018 · “If you move someone from a warm room to a cold room, their blood pressure will rise, and vice versa; so room temperature does affect BP levels – but only by a few mmHg.
Jul 25, 2017 · For low/moderate-temperature exposure, 1°C decrease in temperature was associated with 0.40 mmHg (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.34-0.46) increase in systolic BP and 0.13 mmHg (95% CI: 0.08-0.18) increase in diastolic BP. For high-temperature exposure, the relationship between BP and temperature was not statistically significant. Conclusion:
Oct 1, 2020 · Taking baths or saunas on a regular basis may help lower the risk of heart attack and stroke. Because high temperatures can lower blood pressure, older people with low blood pressure should be extra careful in hot baths and saunas.
- hhp_info@health.harvard.edu
1 day ago · Introduction. The prevalence of hypertension in patients aged ≥20 years is high worldwide [].One study showed that the control of blood pressure to a systolic pressure of <130 mmHg and a diastolic pressure of <80 mmHg after antihypertensive drug therapy was achieved by 54%, 50%, 46%, and 33% of patients aged 20–54 years, 55–64 years, 65–74 years, and ≥75 years, respectively [].
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Jun 27, 2023 · High temperatures and high humidity are two factors that can cause serious health consequences for people with high blood pressure and heart disease. In summer weather, blood pressure can be affected by the body's attempts to radiate heat.
