Some weather conditions linked to myocardial infarction risk

(HealthDay)—Certain weather conditions are associated with an increased risk for myocardial infarction (MI), according to a study published online Oct. 24 in JAMA Cardiology.

Moman A. Mohammad, M.D., from Lund University in Sweden, and colleagues used daily weather data from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute and the Swedish nationwide coronary care unit registry to determine if weather is associated with day-to-day incidence of MI. A total of 274,029 patients admitted to any coronary care unit in Sweden because of MI who had linked weather data were included.

The researchers found that incidence of MI increased with lower air temperature, lower atmospheric air pressure, higher wind velocity, and shorter sunshine duration. The most pronounced association was between air temperature and MI; for each one-standard deviation increase in air temperature (7.4 degrees C), there was a 2.8 percent reduction in risk for MI (unadjusted incidence ratio, 0.972). Across a large range of subgroups and health care regions, results were consistent between non-ST-elevation MI and ST-elevation MI.

"This study adds to knowledge on the role of weather as a potential trigger of MI," the authors write.

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