Preventing heart problems while on vacation

Written by: Dr. Ramón Bover Freire
Published: | Updated: 29/08/2022
Edited by: Top Doctors®

With the summer many take advantage of their vacations to travel and every time we choose more varied and exotic destinations, but the change of climate and feeding can produce cardiac problems. For example, in cardiac diseases as common as high blood pressure and heart failure requires adequate control of diet and hydration status, as well as salt intake should be restricted in both diseases, but this is especially difficult when people travel since they eat regularly away from home. Similarly, the consumption of prepared foods that have a high salt content can be frequent.

It is also necessary to monitor the hydration since many patients take diuretics (furosemide or thiazides, the most frequent), drugs that increase the amount of urine, to control the blood pressure figures or reduce fluid retention in heart failure. In the trips to zones of high temperatures it can take place by the heat certain dehydration aggravated by the diuréticos, arriving sometimes at damaging the function of the kidney (what denominates renal insufficiency ). Before this question, it is advisable to consult your doctor beforehand in case it is necessary to reduce the dose of diuretic during the trip. In addition, remember that the ideal liquid is water, always avoiding sugary drinks because about one third of people with heart problems are diabetics, so these drinks are clearly discouraged.

Traveler's diarrhea

Finally, it should be remembered that traveler's diarrhea is frequent in some areas, which causes the loss of a large amount of fluid in the faeces, which can lead to dehydration, and therefore, it is possible to require a transient decrease during the trip. the dose of diuretics. They are a series of simple precautions that can help us prevent cardiovascular risks before starting our trip.

*Translated with Google translator. We apologize for any imperfection
Dr. Ramón Bover Freire

By Dr. Ramón Bover Freire
Cardiology

Dr. Ramón Bover Freire is a specialist in Cardiology and Nutrition . He is an expert in Clinical Cardiology and Heart Failure. He has been trained internationally, with stays at universities in the United States and England. He combines teaching with his private practice and with his position as coordinator of the Heart Failure Unit of the San Carlos Clinical University Hospital in Madrid.

The doctor has published numerous articles in national and international scientific journals, several books on Cardiology, and has made presentations in both national and international Congresses. He is a member of the Spanish Society of Cardiology and the European Society of Cardiology.

*Translated with Google translator. We apologize for any imperfection


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