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But vacations can sometimes be rough on the heart. In 2013, actor James Gandolfini died of a heart attack while traveling in Italy. Earlier this year, Dave Goldberg — CEO of SurveyMonkey and husband of Facebook executive and author Sheryl Sandberg — died while on a trip in Mexico after he experienced an abnormal heart rhythm, which may have caused him to fall off a treadmill and hit his head.
We’ll never know if the vacations played any role in the deaths, but traveling can put stresses on the heart.
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“You’re doing activities you may not be used to,” said James Fang, M.D., a cardiologist with University of Utah Health Care. “A vacation can be a big change, especially if you’re going from working a sedentary desk job to, say, climbing the Himalayas.”
But even if you’re not Everest-bound, you may be more likely to overexert yourself or eat and drink excessively while traveling. You may be exposed to crowds, extreme temperatures and polluted air. Stressful conflicts can sometimes arise with travel companions as you fail to catch the last train of the night or you lose your passport.
It’s a combination that can lead to chest pain or even heart attacks, especially for people who smoke or are overweight or have diabetes, high blood pressure or a family history of heart disease.
So how can you give yourself your best chance at a dream vacation instead of a nightmare?
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For those desk-job-to-Himalayas travelers, a pre-trip evaluation by your physician and even an exercise stress test may be a good idea, Fang said. Most people won’t need it, but if you’re going from zero to 60 and are at risk for heart problems, a stress test where you’re monitored during a physically demanding activity like walking or running on a treadmill, can tell a doctor how your heart responds to exertion.
“I would only advocate a stress test for people who are about to embark on an incredibly strenuous activity that is not part of their regular routine,” said Fang, noting that it is not uncommon for out-of-towners who visit Utah to ski to suffer heart attacks when they overexert themselves on the slopes.
“For regular travelers, my advice is to pay attention to any new symptoms,” he said. “For example, if you’re light-headed, have shortness of breath, or if your heart is racing — get out of the heat and rest. If it doesn’t improve quickly, seek medical attention.”
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It’s also important to remember to bring your medications and to pay attention to warnings on the labels such as the familiar “Do not drink alcoholic beverages while taking this medication,” Fang said.
Whether you’re heading out on a vacation or not, it’s always the right time to improve your heart health by quitting smoking, losing weight, exercising, and lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol, Fang said. For bonus points, cut back on salt and eat less.
Fang’s best advice for vacations?
“Take more of them,” he said. “Vacations relieve stress. They’re good for relationships, and that is good for the heart. They’re also great for everyone’s mental health. We could all use more vacations. You just have to be careful about overindulging, overeating and overdoing it physically.”
Don’t have a summer vacation scheduled? Now’s the time to plan one. Cardiologist’s orders.
To see a cardiologist about heart health concerns, call 801.585.7676.
