New findings show how cold weather and winter can trigger an outbreak of heart attacks, a major European conference has heard.
Separate studies in Belgium and Switzerland were reported to the conference of the European Society of Cardiology in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
In Switzerland researchers set out to identify the triggers behind high winter rates of heart disease.
They found that people, on average, put on weight around the waist in winter, especially following Christmas festivities at the turn of the year. There were also increases in blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
The findings come from studies of more than 100,000 adults in seven European countries.
Researcher Dr Pedro Marques-Vidal said: "Although this difference is almost irrelevant for an individual, it is considerable for a whole population because the whole blood pressure distribution is shifted to higher values, increasing cardiovascular risk.
"Indeed, the impact of season on blood pressure levels might have as great an impact on cardiovascular risk as genetic markers for blood pressure."
Meanwhile the Belgian study found a 7% increase in numbers of heart attack patients admitted to hospital for every 10 degree centigrade reduction in temperature.
Other findings reported to the conference show that:
* Listening to favourite music may have a key part in improving heart health. Researchers from Serbia showed that music seems boost the effect of exercise training.
* High doses of statins help prevent dementia in elderly people, according to a Taiwanese study. A study of more than 50,000 patients found that statins cut the risk by two thirds.
*A smoker who makes it to 70 still faces a loss of four years from their life expectancy, according to a British study. The findings, reported by Dr Jonathan Emberson, come from a study of 7,000 civil servants in London.
* The size of the belly is a key factor in the survival chances of people who have survived a heart attack, according to French researchers. Their study of more than 3,000 patients found that having a big belly in relation to weight increased the risk of dying within five years by 44%.
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