During the summer, swimming in beaches and swimming pools is the best way to try to relieve the heat. However, experts recommend taking extreme precautions due to the increase in drownings that may be caused by a heart attack. Therefore, the Women’s Heart Movement warns of the importance of knowing the warning signs in men and women, which allow them to identify a heart attack in order to treat it in time. So far, 2024 has recorded the second worst quarter of the year in accidental drowning deaths since 2015 in Spainhaving died 79 people to dateaccording to him National Drowning Report (INA) prepared by the Royal Spanish Federation of Rescue and First Aid.
Las Swimming pools and beaches in the country are witnesses to a large number of adult drownings every summer, with one of the main causes being cardiovascular events such as coronary heart disease or heart attacks. In Murcia alone, 46% of those who died by drowning suffered heart failure while in the wateraccording to data from the Cartagena Sub-directorate of the Institute of Legal Medicine.
People with pre-existing heart conditions, such as coronary artery disease, should be especially cautious about any symptoms that occur on beaches or in swimming pools, especially during uncontrolled physical exertion, as they can lead to loss of consciousness and, if this occurs in water, to drowning.It is important for anyone with heart disease to continue taking their medication and paying attention to any signs that may appear, especially before making significant efforts, as well as not hesitating to go to a specialist if they feel them or feel unwell to prevent a major complication.“, says the doctor Leticia Fernandez-Frierapromoter of the Woman’s Heart Movement and founder of ATRIA Clinic.
Another aspect to take into account is Alcohol consumptionvery common in summer, and which can be dangerous for swimming in beaches and pools, as it negatively affects the cardiovascular system and the individual’s response capacity, increasing the risk of drowning and cardiac complications.
Main symptoms to recognize a heart attack in time
For all these reasons, the Women’s Heart Movement points out that it is key to know the classic symptoms of a heart attack so that they can be identified in both men and women and to be able to act quickly. Warning signs include:
· Chest pain, pressure and discomfort: A feeling of tightness, pressure, heaviness, or pain in the center of the chest down to the stomach area that lasts more than a few minutes or that comes and goes.
· Difficulty breathing: Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, or labored breathing, with or without chest pain.
· Cold sweat: Excessive and cold sweating, even in warm environments. It is important to take this symptom into account due to the extreme temperature changes in summer caused by air conditioning.
· General discomfort: Feeling of discomfort, dizziness, lightheadedness, weakness or fainting due to increased metabolic demand and blood clotting speed.
· Unusual extreme tiredness: This symptom may occur more frequently in the female population. In the case of women, they may be more likely to also suffer from other symptoms such as the following: discomfort in both arms, the back, the neck, the jaw, the shoulders or in the stomach area, shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, sweating, dizziness or lightheadedness and unusual extreme tiredness.
In this sense, it is important that people who have cardiovascular diseases and may be more vulnerable to having a heart attack, undergo a medical check-up if they plan to do water activities during their summer vacation.In this way, the specialist can help with the most suitable activity and give prevention advice, as well as personalize your risks.”, says the doctor Fernandez-Friera.
In addition, as a preventive measure, they also add the importance of creating safe environments on beaches and swimming pools by having well-trained lifeguards and first aid teams, including automated external defibrillators (AEDs)the installation of which may be crucial to reducing mortality from heart attacks. Education about the risks should be promoted among swimmers, along with CPR training for staff caring for these environments to prevent incidents. It is also advisable to minimise the risks with continuous hydration, a healthy diet with food control, minimising stressful situations, wearing light clothing and avoiding sudden changes in temperature on beaches and in swimming pools.
