Identifying Strategies to Alleviate Cardiovascular Stress in Coronary Patients During Heatwaves

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Globally, heatwaves are occurring more frequently, are of greater intensity and longer in duration. The devastating health impacts of extreme heat are increasingly recognized, particularly in vulnerable populations, such as adults with coronary artery disease (CAD). While the most effective cooling ...

Globally, heatwaves are occurring more frequently, are of greater intensity and longer in duration. The devastating health impacts of extreme heat are increasingly recognized, particularly in vulnerable populations, such as adults with coronary artery disease (CAD). While the most effective cooling strategy during a heatwave is the use of air conditioning (AC), economical concerns can limit AC use among vulnerable populations. In addition, widespread AC use places a significant burden on the electrical grid, causing brown-outs and black-outs during periods of extreme heat. Electric fans offer a cooling strategy with a 50-fold lower power requirement and cost compared to AC. However, the efficacy of fan use during heat waves remains contentious. The primary objective of this study is to identify the optimal cooling strategy to alleviate cardiovascular strain of CAD patients exposed to typical North American heatwave conditions (38°C with 60% relative humidity). The secondary objective is to identify the optimal cooling strategy to alleviate cardiovascular strain of CAD patients exposed to typical Australian heatwave conditions (46°C with 10% relative humidity).

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