According to Mayo Clinic, Heatstroke is a condition caused by your body overheating, usually as a result of prolonged exposure to or physical exertion in high temperatures. This most serious form of heat injury, heatstroke, can occur if your body temperature rises to 104 F (40 C) or higher. The condition is most common in the summer months.
Heatstroke requires emergency treatment. Untreated heatstroke can quickly damage your brain, heart, kidneys, and muscles. The damage worsens the longer treatment is delayed, increasing your risk of serious complications or death.
- People over 65 years of age suffer the most from heatstroke.
- Good hydration, protecting yourself from the sun and avoiding the middle hours of the day help prevent them.
Heatstroke is an increase in body temperature generated as a result of prolonged exposure to the sun at high temperatures or due to physical exertion in the sun. It appears when the body temperature rises above 40 degrees, being a serious medical condition that can endanger the life of the patient.
Heatstroke is caused by extreme dehydration that causes the body to be unable to regulate its own body temperature. It requires immediate medical attention, to avoid damage to vital organs such as the brain, heart, liver, or kidney. Heatstroke can cause neurological disorders and even lead to death if measures are not taken.
The population at risk and symptoms:
The population most susceptible to heatstroke are children and adults over 65 years of age. Likewise, athletes also suffer the consequences of this condition, being the second cause of death in this group.
When heat stroke occurs, the affected person does not sweat but is unwell. The main symptoms are:
- Body temperature around or above 40 degrees.
- Muscle cramps or contractures.
- Intense thirst and dry mouth.
- Skin is dry, hot, or red.
- Headache, dizziness, exhaustion, nausea, and vomiting.
- Altered consciousness or disorientation. Sometimes there is loss of consciousness, fainting or even the patient may go into a coma.
If the heatstroke has been caused by vigorous exercise, the symptoms are usually:
- Clammy skin and shortness of breath
- Tachycardia. The pulse increases up to 130 beats per minute, as the heart tries to increase its functioning to cool the body.
How to deal with heatstroke
When heatstroke occurs, it is important to call emergency services immediately. While they arrive, the affected person should be transferred to a ventilated area, which is in the shade.
In the event that the patient is conscious, it is necessary to give him water to hydrate himself and avoid administering antipyretic medication, since in these cases it does not serve to lower the temperature.
How to prevent heatstroke
There are many measures that can be taken to prevent heatstroke and its undesirable effects. The main ones are:
- Do not eat large meals and hydrate constantly, even if you do not feel thirsty.
- Protect yourself from the sun with a cap, hat, or scarf.
- Wear UV-absorbing glasses.
- Putting on creams with high sun filters.
- Wear comfortable, light, and light-colored clothing.
- Always carry a bottle of mineral water with you, so you don’t forget to drink water. Children and adults can become dehydrated, even in the shade, so they must be forced to drink water. When the body warns that it is thirsty, it is alerting that the body is dehydrated.
- Do not work without a shirt in the sun, as clothing retains moisture and protects from the damaging effects of solar radiation.
- Avoid doing sports in hot and sunny hours, especially between 12 in the morning and 5 in the afternoon. Nor should you walk for a long time in this part of the day.
- Pay attention if older people start to notice unusual side effects or symptoms after taking their regular medication.
In these cases, they must go to a health care center to inform the health personnel.
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