[Click! Health] Increased COVID-19 Risk for Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases... More Caution Needed in Winter

[Asia Economy Reporter Byeon Seon-jin] Since the COVID-19 pandemic, outdoor activities have decreased, increasing the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction and stroke. Suspect myocardial infarction if chest pain suddenly lasts for more than 30 minutes or if symptoms such as shortness of breath, cold sweat, vomiting, or dizziness appear. Symptoms suspected of stroke include sudden speech or visual impairment, paralysis on one side, dizziness, and severe headache.

According to the '2021 National Health and Nutrition Survey,' the current smoking rate among women increased by 1.0 percentage point from 7.5% in 2019 to 8.5% last year. The drinking rate also increased during the same period, with men rising from 18.6% to 19.7% and women from 6.5% to 6.9%, an increase of 1.1 percentage points and 0.4 percentage points, respectively. The obesity prevalence, which was 33.8% in 2019, also rose to 37.1% last year. On the other hand, physical activity decreased. The aerobic physical activity practice rate among men dropped by 2.4 percentage points from 52.6% to 50.2% during the same period.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) will announce this month a revised guideline for the prevention and management of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, created jointly by 10 professional societies, to improve lifestyle habits worsened after the COVID-19 pandemic. The guidelines include strengthened and more specific lifestyle rules such as ▲not recommending any type of tobacco, including electronic cigarettes, ▲abstinence from alcohol instead of moderation, and ▲enhanced physical activity and weight management habits. To prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, it is important to develop a habit of eating bland food. Appropriate exercise for more than 30 minutes in a place with a suitable temperature is also necessary.

During winter, when temperatures drop sharply, blood vessels constrict and blood pressure rises, increasing the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. In fact, deaths from these diseases occur most frequently in winter and in March, when there is a large temperature difference between day and night. It is best to avoid outdoor activities in cold weather. Even when going outside, wearing thermal underwear or layering thin clothes, and using gloves, scarves, hats, and masks are necessary. Strenuous exercise outdoors should be avoided.

Cardiovascular diseases were the second leading cause of death in South Korea last year. According to the KDCA's '2022 Chronic Disease Status and Issues,' 54,176 people died from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, accounting for 17% of all deaths. When cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease occurs, it is most important for the patient or those around them to immediately call 119 for help. The optimal time for reperfusion therapy, which reopens blocked blood vessels, is within 2 hours for myocardial infarction and within 3 hours for stroke.