Cold weather can cause more than shivering
It affects every organ system, says UCI Health emergency medicine expert
IN THE NEWS: Cold weather isn’t just unpleasant — it can be dangerous.
UCI Health emergency medicine physician Dr. Isabel Algaze Gonzalez spoke with the New York Times about its effect on the body.
“Cold affects every organ system. It doesn’t just make you shiver, it makes your heart work harder.”
The extra strain is especially dangerous for anyone with preexisting heart issues.
Within 20 minutes of exposure, cold temperatures can raise one’s blood pressure. Cold weather has been linked to increased risk for heart attack, stroke and kidney injury. Strenuous activities, such as clearing snow off a path, are a common tipping point.
Algaze Gonzalez specializes in emergency medicine and is trained in primary hyperbaric medicine, avalanche medicine, dive medicine, mountain medicine and coordinating emergency medical teams.
Her clinical interests include wilderness medicine, hyperbaric medicine, dive medicine, expedition medicine, global medicine and humanitarian aid.
An assistant professor of emergency medicine at the UC Irvine School of Medicine, her current research interests are in the treatment of box jellyfish stings and the relationship between acute mountain sickness and cognitive impairment.
About UCI Health
UCI Health, one of California’s largest academic health systems, is the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. The 1,461-bed system comprises its main campus UCI Health — Orange, its flagship hospital, the UCI Health — Irvine acute care hospital and medical campus, four hospitals and affiliated physicians of the UCI Health Community Network in Orange and Los Angeles counties and a network of ambulatory care centers across the region. UCI Health — Orange provides tertiary and quaternary care and is home to the only Orange County-based National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program and American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, gold level 1 geriatric emergency department and regional burn center. Powered by UC Irvine, UCI Health serves 5.6 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).