Cardiologist Office Hours - 4th of July Heatwave Warning and Tips on Staying Safe
Welcome to the official newsletter of Dr. Siyab (cardiologist on TikTok). High-yield teaching points and practical heart health!
Hi everyone,
This is Dr. Siyab - you might remember me as the cardiologist you follow on TikTok or Instagram! You are receiving this email because you either used to follow my COVID-19 newsletter a few years ago, or signed up for my e-mail list. Either way, I’m glad you’re here. There’s over 8500 of you, which is awesome! Hope you stick around. but if you want to opt out, you’ll find the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email.
Why this newsletter?
After several years spent in the clinic seeing patients or doing heart procedures, I’ve found that certain health questions and insights come up repeatedly on a weekly basis. I do talk about a lot of this in my social media videos, but I realized it could be much more useful if I sent out a quick newsletter once a week with the most high-impact pearls and actionable tips. This way, you get the exact same information I give my patients, so you can stay informed and advocate for your own and your loved ones’ heart health.
Additionally, I am building and will soon be releasing a whole host of FREE resources with more education and utility for everyone, with more added regularly. Check out the resources section!
4th of July Weekend Heatwave
This week’s topic is the holiday weekend and the extreme heat we are witnessing in many parts of the US.
This heatwave coincides with the 4th of July weekend, a holiday where many celebrate outside in the sun or by the water. It’s a great time, but the extreme heat brings serious health risks, especially for people who have heart disease. The American Heart Association actually issued an important warning a few days ago as well advising people to take caution.
Here are some of the facts on the effects of extreme temperatures on your body:
Extreme temperatures increase sweating and force your heart to work much harder than usual as your body tries to cool itself down.
This is a particular concern if you spend the holiday weekend outdoors, as significant fluid loss through sweating leads to dehydration.
If you have certain heart conditions for which you take medications like diuretics or water pills, the risk of dehydration is even higher. Some common blood pressure medications are also diuretics, which people may not be aware of.
Substances like alcohol and coffee are diuretics and can accelerate fluid loss.
The combined effect is that you can become very dehydrated, your cardiovascular system gets placed under enormous strain, your blood pressure may drop, and you might get lightheaded, dizzy, or even faint. Worse, extreme heat can also increase the risk of a heart attack.
How to protect yourself
Here’s some simple tips to help protect you and your family.
Time of day: Try to avoid being outside during the peak heat of the day.
Dress smart: When outside, consider wearing appropriate clothing for the heat, wear a hat and use sunscreen to protect yourself.
Take breaks: If you’re planning on being out all day, take frequent breaks in the shade or indoors to allow your body to rest and recover.
Indulge, in moderation: Enjoy yourself, but consider limiting the amount of alcohol or coffee you decide to consume. Or adjust your hydration to account for any fluid losses.
Hydration PLUS electrolytes. IMPORTANT: Many people do not know this! When you sweat heavily, plain water alone isn’t enough. Heavy sweating causes an imbalance in your electrolytes. Especially sodium, which helps keep fluid in your blood vessels (so your blood pressure doesn’t drop). If you’re losing sodium from sweating, and you drink just plain water, you’re further decreasing the sodium concentration in your blood, and losing even more fluid (mostly by peeing most of it out). This also adds extra strain on your heart, and can make you feel woozy, fatigued, or give you a bad headache. You also need to replenish sodium and other lost electrolytes, so consider picking up some electrolyte powder to mix with your plain water, or some electrolyte drinks for your day out.
Do not abruptly stop your meds: Most importantly, do not stop taking your prescribed medications without first discussing it with your doctor.
Symptoms to look for
Closely monitor for any of the signs and symptoms that might indicate heat exhaustion. The list includes but is not limited to dizziness/fainting, headache, cool clammy skin, fast pulse, weakness, and nausea or vomiting.
If you or someone you know has any of these symptoms, strongly consider going to the ER. Heat exhaustion can be deadly if not addressed immediately
That’s all for now!
That’s pretty much it for the first edition of the newsletter. Please do share this widely with your friends and family because it might help them as well.
Hope this was useful for y’all, and please let me know if you have any questions or any topics you’d like me to cover. See you next week with more tips!
Hope you all have a happy and safe 4th of July weekend with your friends and family!
DISCLAIMER: The information provided here is educational only and not medical advice. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Good to see you back!