The winter emergency surge: Doctor explains how brain stroke, heart, and lung cases peak together

“As the sharp decline in temperature sets in, many hospitals begin to see a worrying and predictable surge in emergencies. Cases of strokes, heart attacks and acute lung related crises start climbing together instead of appearing in isolation. From an emergency physician’s standpoint this simultaneous rise is not a coincidence. It reflects a complex interplay of physiological stressors, environmental triggers and seasonal behaviors that collectively push vulnerable bodies over the edge,” says Dr. Sarika Chandra , CCMO/DYMS, Emergency Physician, Kailash Hospital, Noida and explains what happens inside the body when the temperature drops.

As the temperature drops, your body switches into survival mode. One of the first things it does is tighten or constrict blood vessels to prevent heat