Cyclone Aftermath: Heart Woes Spike for Months

New Study Links Extreme Weather to Cardiovascular Hospitalizations

Individuals face a heightened risk of cardiovascular hospitalizations for up to six months following tropical cyclones, a comprehensive study has revealed. The findings underscore the enduring, indirect health consequences of severe climate events.

Unveiling the Link to Heart Disease

Researchers from Monash University and Otago University analyzed a decade of hospital data from six countries, correlating it with 124 tropical cyclones. Their investigation found a significant uptick in cardiovascular disease (CVD) admissions, with the peak occurring two months post-cyclone.

The study specifically identified ischemic heart diseases and stroke as the most prevalent CVD subsets associated with cyclone exposure. Stroke, in particular, showed a notable increase among males of all age groups.

Socioeconomic Disparities in Health Impacts

The research also highlighted how socioeconomic factors influence these health outcomes. Areas with greater socioeconomic deprivation experienced higher rates of cyclone-linked CVD hospitalizations. Conversely, communities with stronger socioeconomic advantages saw the opposite trend.

“The study demonstrates that, as well as directly causing immediate deaths and injuries, extreme climate events can have important indirect health impacts over following months.”

—Professor Simon Hales, Epidemiologist, University of Otago

Professor Simon Hales, an epidemiologist at the University of Otago and co-author, emphasized the delayed, indirect effects. “These delayed, indirect health impacts are due to infrastructure damage and disruption to livelihoods in the aftermath of major storms.” He added that understanding these impacts is crucial for developing adaptive strategies and promoting climate mitigation.

Global and Local Perspectives

Associate Professor George Laking, from OraTaiao, the New Zealand Climate and Health Council, noted similar observations following Cyclone Gabrielle in New Zealand’s Tai Rāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay regions. However, he pointed out the challenge of detecting such signals in smaller population studies, suggesting higher uncertainty in New Zealand-specific data.

Laking also commented on the broader implications of climate change. “Under climate change, we have to expect an increased incidence and severity of adverse weather events,” he stated, referencing the increased energy and water in the atmosphere.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projects that for every degree Celsius of warming, extreme precipitation events will become 7% more intense. This finding reinforces the urgency of addressing climate change as a primary threat to global health.

Laking concluded by labeling climate change as the paramount risk to human health in this century, urging action to mitigate its escalating impacts.