A US-Sweden research team analyzed data from over 480,000 heart failure patients in Sweden and found that short-term exposure to cold and heat increased the risk of hospitalization for heart failure. In particular, cold temperatures were found to increase the risk of hospitalization several days later, while hot temperatures increased the risk immediately. This study does not show that temperature itself is the cause of heart failure, but it suggests that temperature changes can affect the worsening of conditions in heart failure patients. As extreme weather events are expected to increase due to climate change, there is a need to consider temperature and exposure time when managing heart failure patients.
