Since Medco and Express Scripts have come together as one company to manage your prescription drug benefit, the information Medco had on file for you is now available to the merged company.
Frigid winds make you shiver; dry air chaps unprotected lips and hands; and a lack of sunshine can even cause depression. Cold weather also puts immense strain on the heart. Low temperatures cause your blood vessels and arteries to narrow, restricting blood flow and reducing oxygen to the heart. Your heart must pump harder to circulate blood through the constricted blood vessels. As a result, your blood pressure increases. A sudden spike in blood pressure â especially when paired with outdoor exertion, such as shoveling a snowy sidewalk â can cause serious issues such as: 1  Unstable chest pain.
When does peripheral vasoconstriction happen? Immediately on entering cold water, itâs initiated by cold receptors (aka thermoreceptors, which are different kinds of heat or cold detecting nerves) in the skin. The body doesnât have to be fully immersed, just the lower legs being in cold water is sufficient. Is any part of the body not affected by peripheral vasoconstriction? The head is not effected. (Heat loss during cold water immersion is greatest in the head, neck, upper chest and groin).