A new study has warned that increased fluctuations in summer temperatures caused by climate change could put elderly heart failure patients at risk each year.

Scientists examined the impact of day-to-day variations in temperature during the summer, which are expected to increase as a consequence of climate change. They found that even small temperature swings, of as little as 1C more than usual, may effect elderly people with chronic medical conditions such as heart failure.
Previous studies have focused on the short-term effects of heat waves but this is the first study to examine the longer-term effects.

Antonella Zanobetti, senior research scientist in the Department of Environmental Health at Harvard School of Public Health, who led the study, said - “We found that, independent of heat waves, high day-to-day variability can be harmful for susceptible people.”

[ed - So keep in the shade and keep cool on hot summer days] 

Source:  The Scotsman

 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences