Skip to main content
Log in

Temperature and cardiovascular deaths in Montreal

  • Original Articles
  • Published:
International Journal of Biometeorology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The incidence of mortality from myocardial infarction over a 2-year period in Montreal is examined in relation to temperatures and snowfall. Mortality is seen to increase with deviations from seasonally determined thermally neutral conditions, although compared to observations of a parallel study in subtropical Brisbane, death rates are lower with similar falls in temperature. In Montreal, mortality is also seen to increase with snow during the previous day. During anomalous cold spells death frequencies decrease, a phenomenon interpreted as the behavioural thermoregulatory process of cold avoidance.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Al-Yusuf AR, Kolar J, Bhatnager SK, Hudak A, Smid J (1986) Seasonal variation in the incidence of unstable angina and acute myocardial infarction: effect of dry hot climate on the occurrence of complications following acute myocardial infarction. J Trop Med Hyg 89:157–161

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson TW, Rochard C (1979) Cold snaps, snowfall and sudden deaths from ischemic heart disease. Can Med Assoc J 121:1580–1583

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Auliciems A (1981) Psycho-physiological criteria for global thermal zones of building design. Int J Biometeorol 26:69–86

    Google Scholar 

  • Bainton D, Moore F, Sweetman P (1977) Temperature and deaths from ischaemic heart disease. Br J Prev Soc Med 31:49–53

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Baker-Blocker A (1982) Winter weather and cardiovaseular mortality in Minneapolis-St Paul. Am J Public Health 72:261–265

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bellis P, Bellis G, Pellegrina G (1977) Study on the relationship between meteorological-seasonal factors and acute vascular accidents. Minerva Med 68:1735–1754

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bull GM (1973) Meteorological correlates with myocardial and cerebral infarction and respiratory disease. Br J Prev Soc Med 27:108–113

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bull GM, Morton J (1978) Environment, temperature and death rates. Age Ageing 7:210–224

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cech I, Smolensky M, Lane R, Halery P, Samueloff S (1977) Methodologic factors and temporal variation of cardiac mortality in an urban setting in a desert climatic zone. Isr J Med Sci 13:451–459

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Frost DB, Kishewitsch S (1973) The climate of Montreal back lane. Proc New Engl-St. Laurence Valley Geogr Soc 13:97–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Glass RT, Zack MMJ (1979) Increase in deaths from ischaemic heart disease after blizzards. Lancet 8114:1, 485–487

    Google Scholar 

  • Keatinge WR, Coleshaw SR, Easton JC, Cotter F, Mattock MB, Chelliah R (1986) Increased platelet red cell counts, blood viscosity, and blood cholesterol levels during heat stress, and mortality from coronary and cerebral thrombosis. Am J Med 81:795–800

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • MacFarlane A (1976) Daily deaths in Greater London. Popul Trends 5:20–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogot E, Padgett SJ (1976) Association of coronary and stroke mortality with temperature and snowfall in selected areas of the United States, 1962–1966. Am J Epidemiol 103:565–575

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rose G (1966) Cold weather and ischaemic heart disease. Br J Prev Soc Med 20:97–100

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sarna S, Romo M, Siltanen P (1977) Myocardial infarction and weather. Ann Clin Res 9:222–232

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tunstall-Pedoe H (1985) Changing digoxin potency and cardiac mortality in England and Wales 1968–1976. Br Heart J 54:243–247

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • West RW, Lloyd S, Roberts CJ (1973) Mortality from ischaemic heart disease-association with weather. Br J Prev Soc Med 27:36–40

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wyndham CH, Fellingham SA (1978) Climate and disease. S Afr Med J 53:1051–1061

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Auliciems, A., Frost, D. Temperature and cardiovascular deaths in Montreal. Int J Biometeorol 33, 151–156 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01084599

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01084599

Key words

Navigation