Temperature extremes can lead to premature death due to cardiovascular disease, according to a study in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
Researchers collected publicly available data on daily temperatures and CVD deaths between 1996 and 2004 in Brisbane, Australia. They estimated the years of life lost for each CVD death by using national age- and sex-matched life expectancies.
The relationship between temperature and years of life lost was U-shaped, with the fewest years lost at 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius). The rise in years lost was greater with hot than with cold temperatures: When the mean temperature was 90 Fahrenheit (32 Celsius), there were 45 years of life lost per day; when it was 50 Fahrenheit (10 Celsius), there were 31 years of life lost per day.
The authors note that "exposure to extreme temperatures can act as a trigger for CVD events due to changes in blood pressure, blood viscosity, blood cholesterol, and heart rate."
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