A new one british study come to explain why heart disease is the leading cause of death among firefighters. Working in the intense heat of a fire damages the heart muscle even in perfectly healthy firefighters, increasing the risk of heart attacks later.
To reach this conclusion, researchers at the University of Edinburgh (Scotland) followed 19 healthy firefighters during simulated rescue exercises carried out one week apart.
During these trainings, the firefighters had to rescue a “victim”, weighing more than 85 kilos, on the 2nd floor of a house, being exposed to temperatures above 400 ° C.
Their blood pressure was tested 30 minutes before exercise and 24 hours after, looking for evidence of a lack of blood delivered to the heart muscle.
Take the time to rehydrate and cool down
From blood samples, they also studied a number of parameters, including fibrinolysis (the dissolution of blood clots) and platelet activation, to assess how easily the blood clotted. Researchers found that the risk of blood clotting increased in response to physical exertion and extreme temperatures.
Although the study looks specifically at firefighters, the results have wider relevance. “Anyone who is active in extreme temperatures should take the time to rehydrate and cool down”.
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