OPEN LETTER/ Come to the dialogue and listen to me speak, otherwise I will cut off your scholarships, you will rot in prison. Please!

 Kliko këtu për të tjera
Voxpress:

How does heat affect the body and who is most at risk?

2023-07-17 10:01:01Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

How does heat affect the body and who is most at risk?

Tens of millions of people are facing very high temperatures around the world.

The hot weather in the United States, Europe and Asia is considered one of the examples of how the world is endangered by global warming.

The average global temperature touched a new record in the first week of July. Heat can affect anyone, but some groups are more vulnerable, such as the elderly and infants.

What does extreme heat do to our body?
As the body becomes hotter, the blood vessels begin to open. This results in lower blood pressure and makes the heart work harder to move blood around the body. Something like this can cause mild symptoms, such as itching or swollen feet. At the same time, sweating affects the loss of fluids and salt, which is why their balance in the body changes. All this, combined with low blood pressure, can lead to heat stroke.

Some of the symptoms are:
dizziness, nausea
,
fainting,
muscle cramps,
headache
, profuse
sweating, fatigue,
pale skin
If blood pressure drops too quickly, the risk of a heart attack increases.

Why do our bodies react this way?
Our bodies tend to keep the temperature at about 37 degrees Celsius, whether we are in snow or hot weather. This is the temperature at which the body is accustomed to work. But when the weather gets hot, the body has to work harder to lower the temperature. Therefore, it opens the blood vessels near the skin to release the heat and starts to sweat.

How to stay safe in hot weather?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States has some advice:

-Wear appropriate clothes that are light and loose.
-Stay in air-conditioned places as much as you can. If your home doesn't have air conditioning, go to the mall or public library.
-You can also call the local health department to see if they have any vacancies to escape the heat.
-Limit outdoor activity or change the schedule when it is cooler.
-Drink plenty of fluids and don't drink too much alcohol.
-Stay in the shade, use high-protection sunscreen and wear wide-brimmed hats.
- Be careful to help those in need, elderly people, those who have an illness, or those who live alone.
- Do not leave anyone, especially babies, small children or animals in closed cars.
-How to sleep well?
-Use thin covers, chill your socks in the fridge before putting them on, and create an accurate sleep schedule, experts suggest.

What to do if you see someone overwhelmed by the heat?

If they can cool down within half an hour, then extreme fatigue is not too serious.

Send them to a cool place

Refresh the skin with cold water

Give them plenty of water to drink

However, if they do not recover within 30 minutes, then what follows is known as heat stroke.

Such a situation is urgent and you should immediately call the emergency.

People with this condition may stop sweating, even though they have a very hot body temperature.

The body temperature can reach over 40 degrees Celsius and they can lose consciousness.

Who is most at risk?

The elderly and people with chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, may find it more difficult to function in these conditions.

Diabetes can cause the body to lose water more quickly, and some complications of the disease can change blood vessels and the ability to sweat.

Even children are vulnerable. People suffering from forgetfulness are also at risk because they are not aware of what heat is and how to act. Homeless people are also very exposed to the sun.

Do certain medications increase the risk?

Yes – but people should continue to take their medicines as usual and should try to stay hydrated.

Diuretics - sometimes called "water pills" increase the amount of water the body removes. They are taken in many cases, including those for heart complications.

However, at high temperatures, they increase the risk of dehydration and imbalance of minerals in the body.

Then there are blood pressure lowering drugs, as in combination with the blood vessels tending to release heat, they can induce a rapid decrease in blood pressure.

Some medicines for epilepsy and Parkinson's can block sweating and can make it harder to lower your body temperature.

Does the heat kill?

More than 700 people in the United States are killed by extreme heat each year, according to the CDC. Most of them suffer from heart attacks and attacks caused by the body's efforts to keep the temperature stable.

The death rate increases as soon as the thermometer exceeds temperatures of 25-26 degrees Celsius. However, the data suggest that deaths are more often caused by high temperatures in spring or early summer, because it is the peak of summer.

This is due to the fact that we begin to change our daily routine and begin to slowly get used to the heat. Data from past heat waves show a rapid increase in deaths in the first hours of rising temperatures.


Në përputhje me standarded JTI

Video

SHIKO KANALIN NE YOUTUBE
×