Increased platelet and red cell counts, blood viscosity, and plasma cholesterol levels during heat stress, and mortality from coronary and cerebral thrombosis

doi:10.1016/0002-9343(86)90348-7

The American Journal of Medicine

Volume 81, Issue 5, November 1986, Pages 795-800

https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9343(86)90348-7 Get rights and content

Abstract

Recorded deaths from coronary and cerebral thrombosis rise markedly in heat waves. In a British heat wave with little or no distortion due to air-conditioning, outside temperatures of 34.6°C (maximum) and 20.8°C (minimum) were followed by peak mortalities from coronary and cerebral thrombosis one to two days later. Experimental exposure of volunteers to moving air at 41°C for six hours caused core temperature to rise 0.84°C, weight to fall 1.83 kg with sweating despite access to water, heart rate to increase 32 beats per minute, and arterial pressure to fall, particularly on standing. The red blood cell count increased 9 percent, and blood viscosity increased 24 percent, mostly after the first hour. The platelet count rose 18 percent, and the platelet volume fell, mostly in the first hour. The plasma cholesterol level increased 14 percent without a change in distribution among lipoprotein fractions. The changes seem able to explain the increased mortality from arterial thrombosis in hot weather.

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^☆: This work was supported by a Medical Research Council Program Grant, and by the Health Research Promotion Trust.

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Increased platelet and red cell counts, blood viscosity, and plasma cholesterol levels during heat stress, and mortality from coronary and cerebral thrombosis☆

Abstract

Environ Res

Environ Res

Blood

Microvasc Res

Blood

Increased frequency of acute myocardial infarction during summer months in a warm climate

Am Heart J

Epidemiology of successive heat waves in Michigan in 1962 and 1963

JAMA

Heat wave mortality in New York City, 1949 to 1970

Arch Environ Health

Heat illness. I. Epidemiology

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg

Environment, temperature and death rates

Age Ageing

Daily deaths in Greater London

Popul Trends

Short-term increases in mortality during heatwaves

Nature

Mortality and morbidity in Birmingham during the 1976 heat wave

Q J Med

The discomfort index, mortality and the London summers of 1976 and 1978

Int J Biometeorol

The metabolic and respiratory alterations of heat stroke

Arch Intern Med

Plasma fluid and blood constituent shifts during heat exposure in resting man

Aerospace Medicine