HIGH TEMPERATURES AND WHAT WE SHOULD KNOW

High temperatures have become a main public health problem these summer days because they have caused several deaths and worsened the health of many citizens. Gradually the body adapts the new conditions being so acclimatized.  It is important to know somethings such as 1. The right measures to take in order to cope with  heat the right way 2. Who is considered at higher risk 3. What are the most usual medical problems from the heat and how are they treated.  Otherwise the high temperatures may affect main functions of the body in a range from mild problems to serious ones.

1.       What we should do?
Stay as away as you can from hot weather.
• Close the windows and curtains when it is hotter outside to prevent the heat and the daylight from coming inside the house.
 • Stay in an air conditioned room with a normal room temperature (not very low since the temperature gap  is very bad.• Electric fans are also useful
.• Try not to cook inside.
 •If your car has been left not in the shades let the hot air inside cool down before you start driving. Use reflective sunshades in the car.
•It is also recommended to place a cooling compress on your wrist of 30 seconds to cool the blood and provide a instant relief .
•Avoid going out at midday if not always with a bottle of water, a hat, suncream to protect your skin, loose clother, lightened colors. Stay in the shades
Hydrate-> since we lose a lot of water by sweating we need to replace it and this is essential to normal functions of our body. It is important to drink 2-3l of liquids. Cold Water is always a first choice. Fruit juices are also a good choice since we also take different kind of vitamins. Yougurt  also.
•Foods help us hydrate. The ones high water containing are Fruits and salads.Spicy food also help you because they cause your body to sweat so we cool off naturally.
•Avoid caffeine and alcohol since they incresase perspiration and they are dehydrating.

2.       Groups at higher risk.
•Infants til 4 years old. they are more sensitive to the effects of high temperatures and as rely on others to regulate their inner environment and to provide adequate fluid intake. They have a higher metabolic rate and inefficient sweating compared to adults.
•People 65 years of age or older may not be able to precisely regulate their inner temperature since they central nervous system is not fully competent. Also other heat loss mechanisms may not be adequate because of the chronical diseases witch pre existe in these patients.(cardiovascular and respiratory which can cause dehydration easily) and also elderly people (everybody who takes these pills) take several  kind of medicines such as vasoconstrictors, diuretics, antidepressants•Overweight individuals may be prone to heat-related illness because of their tendency to retain more body heat. 

Heat related illnesses HRI

->HEAT CRAMPS. This is the last serious form of HRI and it is charactarised with intermittent large muscle spams(usually the ones which were included in the activity) and significant sweating. They usually happen to people who do physical acticity in the sun.they do not happen during the activity but after.(hot environment). They can be treated with rest, cooling the body, rehydrating, take some salt to replace the electrolytes. If there is muscle pain after the episode than nsai pill can be used.

->HEAT RASH. It happens when the skin sweat glands are blocked and the sweat can not get out so the gland gets inflamed which is presented as rash. The skin  appears with tinny red bumps with the sensation of itchy and prickly ,due to inflammation of the superficial layers of the skin. It happens in the areas where there isn’t much air circulation usually due to tight clothing, heavy creams so the sweat is not allowed to evaporate.(attentions heat rash can also happen from the use of clonidine)
It Is treated by removing its cause as tight clothes and trying to expose the skin to well ventelated areas. Dusting powder can be used since it does not cover the sweats. It usually does not require medical care.

->HEAT EXHAUSTION.  It is a condition that happens when a person looses to much water and electrolytes since he is not acclimatized to staying or working in such hot weather. So the normal mechanisms will not be stabilized resulting in several symptoms such as excessive sweating, nausea,elevated body temperature ,pallor, confusion, tachycardia, tachypnea,headache, fatigue, weakness,muscle cramps, wet skin.
There are two types, the one from loss of water and the other from loss of electrolytes. in the first one there is hypernatriemia present and there isn’t to much sweating. The person feels thirsty and doesn’t urinate much. The BP is lower than usual.
The other is from loss of the electrolytes and is represented especially with hyponatriemia
Noramly this condition does not require medical care but we should do things such as drink plenty of water and eat salty snacks, rest in an air conditioned room and take a  cool shower. Unless treated right this may progress  towards heat strike which is the most serious HRI's

->HEAT STIKE. it is a situation in which the body's ability to lose heat is lost so the body temperature is raised critically(+41c). it is considered a medical emergencie since it leads to death and severe systemic disabilities. They depend on the max temperature and the duration of heat strike. Two types of this.1EHS which occurs in young and healthy people due to physical activity in a hot area. 2.NEHS it happens to elderly , very young or chronically ill (cardiovascular or respiratory).

High body temperature, dry skin, red skin color,difficulty breathing, tachycardia, headache, dizziness, disorientation, nausea, vomiting,seizures, coma.CALL THE EMERGENCY SERVICE. rap a person with cool stuff, or place a fan in front of him, place ice pack in the arms,neck. If possible place the patient a cold bath-tub. Monitor the body temperature and give the person cold drinks if he is conscious.(the target is at least39C). control and try to restabilise the electrolytes. If the seizures begin take care of the respiratory airways, blood cirvulation. (ABC).