UK: Cold-related health problems

UK: Cold weather snaps bring health problems

Heart attacks and strokes also increase a few days after a fall in temperature, because cold causes stress to the vascular system.

The lung disease chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), in which the bronchial tubes are damaged making it harder to breathe, is also affected by the weather.

There are around 900,000 people with COPD in England, and each year there are 100,000 COPD-related hospital admissions.

Caring for COPD patients is estimated to cost England's NHS about £1bn annually.

Note that Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is also known as Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COLD).

A related link is here:
How different measures of cold weather affect chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) hospital admissions in London -- Marno et al. 15 (101): 185 -- European Respiratory Review

Many COPD sufferers find that their symptoms become worse during colder weather, which can lead to an exacerbation resulting in hospital admission. This study investigates different measures of cold, assessing which most strongly relate to COPD admissions and whether they can be used to forecast risk of exacerbation.