Temperature extremes can increase risk of heart failure hospitalization, study shows
Heart failure hospitalization risk increases after short-term exposure to cold spells, lower ambient temperatures and higher ambient temperatures, according to a study published in JACC and presented at ESC Congress 2026. The increase in hospitalizations in Sweden shows how temperature extremes can contribute to sudden worsening of illness and the need for health systems to respond to and prepare…
A recent study published in JACC and presented at ESC Congress 2026 reveals that temperature extremes can heighten the risk of heart failure hospitalization. Wenli Ni, Ph.D., the lead author of the study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, states that the research highlights how environmental stressors can trigger sudden health deterioration, emphasizing the need for health systems to prepare for such situations.
No prior study has examined the impact of extreme temperatures on heart failure hospitalizations within a Nordic population like Sweden. The researchers analyzed 482,000 heart failure hospitalizations in the Swedish National Patient Register from 2006 to 2021. They defined cold spells as two or more consecutive days with temperatures below the 5th percentile (October–March) and heat waves as temperatures above the 95th percentile (April–September) using municipality-specific temperature data.
The study found that cold spells were linked to a higher risk of hospitalization within two to six days, with the most significant risk between days three and five. Lower ambient temperature exposure also raised the risk of hospitalization within three to six days, with statistical significance between days three and five. However, higher temperature exposure was associated with an increased risk of heart failure within zero to three days, while heat waves showed no association with heart failure hospitalizations.
The authors argue that the delayed risk of hospitalization following cold temperatures and the immediate risk associated with hot temperatures necessitate immediate, time-sensitive management, including monitoring after cold alerts and more urgent response measures during heat waves. In an accompanying editorial, Tiantian Li, Ph.D., deputy director of the National Institute of Environmental Health at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, emphasizes that cardiovascular medicine can no longer be practiced in isolation from meteorological factors.
The evidence linking non-optimal temperatures to cardiovascular harm is now substantial, and it is time to translate these findings into actionable early-warning systems.
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