Winterhypertensie: koude als cardiovasculaire risicofactor

An increase in the rate of cardiovascular events (eg, myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure) during the winter season has been reported worldwide, including Japan. As 1 contributor to the increase in cardiovascular risk during the colder months, winter hypertension likely reflects an interaction between environmental factors and human physiological responses. In particular, the prognostically important morning blood pressure (BP) surge is accentuated in winter versus other seasons, as is BP variability. Some individuals may exhibit more marked changes in BP in response to cold exposure, referred to as thermosensitive hypertension. During winter mornings, sympathetic activation due to cold stress and the arousal response overlap, producing a synergistic effect that raises baseline BP, amplifies BP variability, and augments the morning BP surge simultaneously. These mechanisms help explain why cardiovascular event risk peaks during the early morning hours in winter. Approaches to