Study: Hurricanes Can Spark Heart Problems Months After They Hit

By Dave Levitan  |  August 1, 2025 | 1:00pm
Photo via NASA/Unsplash
Climate Hurricanes
Study: Hurricanes Can Spark Heart Problems Months After They Hit

A growing body of research is making it clear how tropical cyclones can leave a mark on human health long after the floodwaters and wind gusts recede. A study published on Friday in Science Advances found that hospitalizations related to cardiovascular disease spike in the months after a major storm, an effect that can linger for as much as half a year.

The study, conducted by researchers in Australia, Germany, South Korea, and elsewhere, examined records on hundreds of tropical cyclones along with hospitalization data from six countries between 2000 and 2019. They found consistently elevated risks following the storms, though the specifics varied relatively widely; the risk of hospitalization generally peaked about two months after a cyclone, and the effects largely disappeared by six months.

All kinds of specific cardiovascular hospitalizations were elevated, but the risk was highest for ischemic heart disease and stroke. Each additional day of cyclone exposure brought a 13 percent bump in hospitalizations for the next six months, with males aged from 20 to 59 the most affected.

There are a lot of ways that experiencing a hurricane could land you in the hospital months after the fact. “For example, individuals may experience health issues, including stroke, as a result of stress, trauma, or changes in lifestyle habits (such as diet and exercise) in the aftermath of a cyclone,” the authors wrote. “These effects may not become apparent until months after the event.”

Last year, researchers at Berkeley looked more broadly at death rates following hurricanes, and found that in the US the storms can be considered to cause more overall deaths than car accidents or wars. They too noted that indirect effects likely play a major role — using retirement savings to repair home damage, say, leaving less to spend on healthcare, or seeing family or other support move away like we saw in droves after Hurricane Katrina.

And of course, tropical cyclones are getting worse as the world warms. As the authors of the new study noted, they are getting stronger, tend to last longer, and can hit at higher latitudes than in the past (they included Canada and New Zealand in the analysis, to examine that last trend, along with South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam).

“Given the understudied nature of TC [tropical cyclone] exposure risks on human health and the anticipated intensification of TCs in a warming climate,” the authors wrote, “it is imperative to integrate more evidence on TC epidemiology across countries and to develop targeted interventions and disaster management strategies for different populations and regions that extend for periods beyond the immediate aftermath of the cyclones.”

Hurricane season has been quiet thus far. August is when it tends bear its teeth.

 
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