Rawalpindi:A severe heat spell is hitting the population in most parts of the country including this region and according to health experts, prolonged exposure to the extreme heat in the existing weather conditions may pose serious threats to both the chronic patients and healthy persons.
Exposure to the sunlight for a longer period of time during the hottest hours of the day may cause threats including heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat syncope, heat cramps and sunburn. Experts believe that it is crucial to take precautionary measures to avoid damages, the exposure to extreme heat can cause to the brain, heart, skin, kidneys and other crucial organs.
According to health experts, if people do not take extra care, both the public and private sector healthcare facilities would be receiving a much heavier burden of patients with heat-related disorders particularly with the further rise in mercury level. Heat stroke, heat syncope and heat exhaustion are life threatening health hazards particularly in cases of chronic patients, elderly people and children.
Every year, during the extreme heat waves, nearly 50 per cent of the total patients reaching healthcare facilities in the region are with summer related health threats and the majority of these patients are children below 12 years of age and elderly people.
Experts say that the most important thing at the time is to create awareness among the public on how to avoid health threats, the severe heat spell poses. People must avoid going outside particularly during the hottest hours of the day from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Individuals must be aware of the fact that high temperatures may cause ceasing of the cardiac activity.
Experts say that people should be aware of the warning signs of heat exhaustion that include impaired consciousness, prolonged durations of sleep, restlessness and irritability, thunderclap headache, blurring of vision, tremors and fits and scanty dark urine in decreased quantity.
People who have to work in a hot environment or under the sun should take plenty of water and ORS if needed. To avoid a rise in the core body temperature, people need to take slightly cold water frequently and take a bath between working intervals whenever possible. People must avoid heat currents and when going outside during the hottest hours of the day, they should keep a wet towel on their head to keep body temperature normal.
To avoid heat exhaustion and heat stroke, lightweight, light-coloured and loose-fitting clothes should be put on while black, dark green, red and blue coloured clothes should be avoided. Direct exposure to the sun should be avoided and a hat or umbrella should be used for protection from the sun while outside. Sunglasses should also be used and try to avoid spending time outdoors unnecessarily during the hottest hours of the day.
Parents must be aware of various aspects of summer related health threats to safeguard their children from life-threatening situations. Symptoms of heat exhaustion in children include headache followed by vomiting and fever along with body pains. Such patients should be given plenty of clean drinking water and taken to the nearest healthcare facility at the earliest as these patients might lead to heatstroke that may leave a patient unconscious.
The greatest symptom of heatstroke is that the body stops sweating and the body temperature rises to above 105 degrees centigrade. Patients with these complaints must be taken to a hospital immediately otherwise the problem might be fatal.
Experts suggest that during the severe heat spells, exposure to sun should be avoided as much as possible and if it is necessary to take a child outside at day-time, his or her body and head must be covered properly.
