Why Hurricanes Are Bad For Your Heart

ATLANTIC OCEAN – SEPTEMBER 1: In this NOAA GOES-East satellite handout image, Hurricane Dorian, now a Cat. 5 storm, tracks towards the Florida coast taken at 13:20Z September 1, 2019 in the Atlantic Ocean. A hurricane warning is in effect for much of the northwestern Bahamas as it gets hit with 175 mph winds. According to the National Hurricane Center Dorian is predicted to hit the U.S. as a Category 4 storm. (Photo by NOAA via Getty Images)

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September is typically the peak month of the Atlantic hurricane season, but thankfully, it has been relatively quiet so far. Scientists are monitoring Gabrielle, which is expected to become a hurricane, and a new system is emerging. However, neither storm is expected to impact the U.S. Gabrielle could ultimately impact Bermuda. Direct impacts of hurricanes are obvious, but indirect effects are often as problematic. A new study highlights the relationship between tropical cyclones and long cardiovascular health.

A study published in the journal Science Advances finds significant upticks in hospitalization risk and cardiovascular disease long after the exposure to tropical cyclones. Since the study was global, authors of the study use the term “tropical cyclone,” which is the broader categorization of hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones.

The link between cardiovascular health and hurricanes is not new. The American Heart Association website noted, “Cardiovascular disease joined drowning and injury as one of the top causes of death after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast region in 2005.” Numerous studies have found that strenuous recovery activities, stress levels as storms approach, and exposure to extreme heat during power outages can cause short—term and longer risks for people with cardiovascular disease. A 2021 review paper identified a list of additional stressors associated with hurricane risks that affect heart health. They include:

• Disruption in healthcare delivery and facility access.
• Increased exposure to toxins, aerosols, and pollutants due to flooding and damaged infrastructure.
• Worsening of existing heart conditions in already socio—economically vulnerable communities due to care disruption or lack of access.

Other outcomes associated with hurricanes include injuries, chronic conditions, mental health, infectious disease, violence, reproductive health, and respiratory disease.

In the new study, investigators examined over 6.5 million cardiovascular disease hospitalizations in Canada, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam from 2000 to 2010. Hospitalization risk increased after exposure to a tropical cyclone, which seem obvious. However, they found that hospitalization risk peaked 2 months after the storm and could last up to 6 months. The study found that ischemic heart disease and stroke were most directly linked to tropical cyclone exposure, particularly among men aged 20 to 59 years old. As with most things, hospitalization trends were greater within more vulnerable communities.

Previous studies have also shown lasting impacts associated with hurricanes in the U.S. AHA’s website said, “In a small study presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health 2021 Scientific Sessions, researchers found that among people who survived Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017, there were higher rates of high blood pressure, obesity and pre-diabetes, as well as increased incidences of heart disease and stroke two years after the storm compared to two years prior to the hurricane.” After Hurricane Sandy, a study in the published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that after two weeks, there were more strokes, heart attacks, and deaths compared to the same period in the previous five years.

So what can people do? The AHA website recommened:

• Being prepared and having a plan. Be familiar with AHA’s Patient Preparedness Plan.
• Document known allergies, medical conditions and medications.
• Know how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use an automated external defibrillator (AED).