Killer Colds

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With winter approaching, researchers caution us to mind our hearts. According to a French study presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting in Munich, cold spells too often trigger heart attacks, especially in people with high blood pressure. Tracking more than 700 patients hospitalized over a two-year period, researchers found that for those with high blood pressure, heart-attack risk doubled when the mercury dropped below 39.2F. Cold weather constricts blood vessels and thickens blood, making clots more likely.