Dr Diana Gall from Doctor4U said: “In cold weather, the blood vessels constrict, forcing your heart to work harder. This pressure on the heart can in some cases lead to a heart attack.
“One way your body responds to cold temperatures in order to protect itself and retain heat is by constricting the blood vessels near the surface of the skin.
“When this happens, blood flow is reduced to these vessels, which means more pressure in the rest of the system.
“This in turn means the heart has to work harder than usual to get oxygenated blood around the body.
“This raises blood pressure and increases the chances of blood clots forming, both of which are factors in heart attacks and strokes.”
