Cardiac nurse's heatwave safety tips for people with heart conditions

Cardiac nurse's heatwave safety tips for people with heart conditions The UK is currently in the grip of a heatwave, with temperatures expected to reach 40 degrees in some areas - and a cardiac nurse has shared key guidance on how people with heart conditions can stay safe in the extreme heat Everyone is feeling the strain as a scorching heatwave continues to batter the UK this week, with some regions forecast to reach a sweltering 40 degrees today, Thursday. It's uncomfortable enough for most of us - but for those living with health conditions, it poses a far greater risk. The extreme heat can trigger potentially serious problems such as dehydration and heatstroke, which can prove particularly dangerous for those with underlying health issues. Now a cardiology expert has set out a number of tips to help those with heart conditions stay safe during the heatwave. Angela Hartley, who boasts more than 49,000 followers on TikTok, regularly shares invaluable advice for those recovering from heart attacks, surgery, and other cardiac conditions, reports the Express. "If you've got a heart condition, listen up. There's some key things you can do this week to stay cool and stay safe and keep your heart safe," she said. "Number one: Take it much easier. If you normally commute in and you know you're gonna be on the tube or the train and it always gets stuck and you always get overheated at the best of times, work from home. "Number two: Make sure your bedding is nice and cool. Peel back those layers today. Keep your blinds down, keep your curtains closed, windows closed until about 11pm tonight." Angela explained that temperatures should start to fall around 11pm, at which point you should "open up everything, get that air in, get the fan on, circulate that cooler air." Angela's third tip may sound a little out of the ordinary, but it's undeniably appealing on such a scorching day. "You can also put something in the fridge or freezer that's gonna be cool to wear later that day," she said. "So put your pyjamas in, put your T-shirt in the fridge. Sounds crazy, but it'll be so nice to put on later." She also urged people to keep tabs on the colour of their urine, noting it should be "almost clear". "If it's a really dark colour, you are likely dehydrated, you need to up your water intake," she said. "Try and stay clear of the caffeine. Caffeine has a slight diuretic effect - it's going to make you pee more, it's going to dehydrate you quicker." Sweltering temperatures can also cause blood pressure to dip as the body dilates blood vessels to disperse heat — and for those with heart conditions, this can be particularly dangerous. Angela's recommendation to counter this is to snack on a few salty treats, which will help bring blood pressure back up. "Things like olives are really, really good, because they're quite high in salt," she said. "If you do feel a little bit woozy, take your blood pressure. If it is on the low side, have an extra glass of water. Take that blood pressure again. Make sure you're not going up and down quickly, not making sudden rapid postural changes so that you don't get dizzy." When will the heatwave end? The sweltering conditions are set to persist over the next few days before temperatures begin to ease off at the weekend. The Met Office said: "Thursday will see the peak of the heat for many, though those further east will retain extreme heat on Friday and Saturday and could continue to see further impacts, which has resulted in Amber warnings. "The far southeast will retain the warmth the longest, though there should be a climb-down in figures by Saturday, with peaks around 32 degrees likely. Next week is likely to see a change to more of a westerly influence on the UK's weather, with a return to more average temperatures for the time of year and a mixture of winds and rain, particularly for those in the North West." By Sunday, the mercury could drop by around 15 degrees, with Cardiff predicted to reach 20 degrees and London expected to hit highs of 26. Despite this, the red weather warning has been extended through Friday for London and parts of south-east England. A Met Office spokesperson said: "Significant disruption to daily life is likely and the public should take every effort to make precautions and adapt their daily routines where possible to cope with these levels of heat, which up to now have been extremely rare for the UK."