[Click! Health] The Best Season for Hiking, Middle-Aged Adults Should Take Care of Their 'Heart Health'

As the weather becomes distinctly warmer, more hikers are visiting the mountains. However, just because the weather has improved, setting out on a hike with a light heart can lead to misfortune. In fact, the most common cause of death during hiking accidents is heart disease. Special caution is required when hiking, especially during times of large temperature differences between day and night.

According to data from the Korea National Park Service, out of 69 fatal hiking accidents that occurred between 2017 and 2021, more than half?39 cases?were due to heart disease. Why does heart disease occur during hiking? Professor Changbeom Park of the Cardiovascular Medicine Department at Gangdong Kyung Hee University Hospital explained, "According to studies conducted abroad, the probability of sudden death due to heart disease while hiking is about four times higher compared to people of the same age. Sudden increases in physical activity and dehydration during hiking activate the sympathetic nervous system, causing bodily changes that can trigger acute ischemic heart disease."

Number of patients with ischemic heart disease. [Data provided by Gangdong Kyung Hee University Hospital]

Men in their 50s and 60s should be especially cautious. As of 2021, about 360,000 men in their 50s and 60s visited hospitals for ischemic heart disease, accounting for approximately 36% of all patients. When acute ischemic heart disease occurs during hiking, patients need to be transported by stretcher or helicopter, which can cause delays in the golden treatment time. Therefore, people with ischemic heart diseases such as angina or acute myocardial infarction need to exercise extra caution when hiking.

Rather than engaging in intense exercise like hiking sporadically, it is better to regularly train the body with aerobic exercise three to four times a week or more, and enjoy hiking once the body is adapted. Also, hikers should adjust their intensity and pace themselves, taking sufficient breaks and hiking slowly. It is advisable to rest once you reach a level of slight breathlessness. If you have heart disease, make sure to take your prescribed medication properly and always carry nitroglycerin as an emergency measure.

Professor Changbeom Park, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Kangdong Kyung Hee University Hospital.

During hiking, it is important to stay hydrated to prevent dehydration. Dehydration is one of the factors that can worsen heart disease. Since outdoor activities and exercise require more than 10% additional fluid intake, it is important to drink water appropriately at intervals during hiking. Recently, automated external defibrillators (AEDs) have been installed on hiking trails, enabling response to cardiac arrest situations, so learning emergency treatment methods allows for immediate action in emergencies.

Managing lifestyle is crucial for preventing myocardial infarction. Smoking is one of the biggest causes of arteriosclerosis, so quitting smoking is essential. It is safer to switch to a low-sodium and less fatty diet, and reducing abdominal obesity through regular exercise and moderate food intake is also beneficial.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.