Heart Health

Protect your heart during the dog days of summer

Hot, hazy, and humid outside? Exercise caution during outdoor activities.

By , Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
photo of a woman who has been exercising outdoors, she has a towel around her neck and is drinking water from a clear bottle

During the summer of 2023, record-breaking high temperatures scorched many regions of the United States. Not surprisingly, emergency department visits for heat-related illnesses also rose over that time period, according to the CDC. This worrisome trend is expected to continue as climate change ushers in longer, hotter, and more frequent episodes of extreme heat.

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About the Author

photo of Julie Corliss

Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter

Julie Corliss is the executive editor of the Harvard Heart Letter. Before working at Harvard, she was a medical writer and editor at HealthNews, a consumer newsletter affiliated with The New England Journal of Medicine. She … See Full Bio
View all posts by Julie Corliss

About the Reviewer

photo of Christopher P. Cannon, MD

Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing

Dr. Christopher P. Cannon is editor in chief of the Harvard Heart Letter. He is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and senior physician in the Preventive Cardiology section of the Cardiovascular Division at … See Full Bio
View all posts by Christopher P. Cannon, MD

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