How Does Dehydration Trigger Heart Problems?

Being in a dry environment, such as on a plane, can cause dehydration and heart issues. According to Mellanie True Hills, CEO of StopAfib.org, a patient advocacy organization that hosts the number one arrhythmia site and one of the top five heart disease sites worldwide, “The significantly dry air on a plane wicks moisture out of the body, causing dehydration quickly. Dehydration thickens the blood and depletes the body of essential minerals such as potassium and magnesium. Magnesium regulates the heart rhythm and potassium helps it work. Inadequate levels of potassium or magnesium can trigger abnormal heart rhythms, including atrial fibrillation (AFib).” She continues: “If your heart has ever felt like a flopping fish, a bag of wiggly worms, or fluttering butterflies, you may have atrial fibrillation [aka AFib], the most common irregular heartbeat.” For some people, AFib symptoms are fleeting and disappear on their own. However, the abnormal rhythm can cause blood not to be pushed out of the heart to the rest of the body, and thus it pools and can form a clot Already thickened blood from dehydration makes this more likely. That clot could then travel to the brain and cause a stroke. AFib is just one of many types of abnormal heart rhythms that can make up holiday heart syndrome, a condition whose name derives from emergency rooms seeing an increase of people with heart trouble during holidays such as Christmas, New Year’s Day, spring break, and Super Bowl Sunday. O...
Source: Embrace Your Heart Wellness Initiative - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Diet and Nutrition Tips Heart Health Source Type: blogs