Summers are back and so is heat. Be it a short walk on the beach or an endless bike ride, summers beyond a doubt, set out one’s heart on fire. Summers bring happy times and good sunshine.
But summers do bring heat along with them. The extreme heat ruins the joy of summers. No one draws a conclusion to hiked up body temperature. I had a similar experience and a day after while I was surfing the internet about it, I had a realization of it being a close call to a heat stroke.
Heat Stroke is a form of hyperthermia in which the body temperature of a person rises drastically leading to heavy perspiration. It is a case of medical emergency and can put an end to one’s life if not treated promptly and properly.
Avoiding Heat-strokes
Heat Strokes can entirely be avoided from developing. Here’s how
- Wear loose and light clothes and stay in the shade.
- Avoid overworking and drink a quarter fluids an hour to avoid dehydration.
- Keep away from hot and jam-packed places.
- Avoid caffeine containing stimulants as they can speed up dehydration.
- Eat fruits and salads that are rich in water content.
First aid and treatment to Heat Stroke victim.
Heat strokes can hit anyone and everyone should be acquainted with the knowledge of what is to be done in case of a Heat Stroke.
- If you suspect a Heat Stroke, call for an emergency.
- Till the paramedics arrive, shift the person to cool surroundings.
- Sprinkle water over the skin or clothing or keep a damp cloth on the back of the neck.
- Fan the person to lower his body temperature.
- Place ice packs on the patient’s neck and back.
- Avoid giving stimulants to the sufferer such as coffee as they speed up dehydration.
Effects of Heat Strokes
Heat Strokes generally occur during a heat wave and can also be caused during the course of heavy physical exercise. A heat stroke can cause various effects resulting in nausea, vomiting, rapid and shallow breathing with rapid heartbeat. The patient’s skin may turn red, hot and dry and can cause throbbing headache. Muscle weakness, cramps, lack of sweating despite the heat are other symptoms.
The effect of heat on the heart
Heat-Strokes are an indication to Heart problems. They prove fatal in up to 80% of the cases and rest 20% develop into critical heart problems. Rapid and shallow breathing accounts to deterioration of heart’s health. Infants and elderly people are at the greatest risk of being hit by it.
Heart medications like beta blockers, ace receptor blockers, ace inhibitors, calcium channel blockers and diuretics can expand in heat. Also, skin/blood response in heart patients is significantly impaired for heat exposures.
In the hot weather, people, especially elders, are at the risk of developing dehydration problems. In the course of dehydration, blood becomes concentrated. On the contrary heart rate has to rise to meet the body’s demands and to lower the body’s temperature. This can trigger a heart attack. Attaining a clear picture of heart rhythm can give a report of one’s heart health. It accounts for the need of an ECG to have a check on electrical and muscular functions of heart.
Sanket, the World’s smallest ECG monitor helps to capture ECG in the simplest steps. One can measure his heart rate with the pocked sized device. In situations where symptoms appear only for a shorter duration, ECG can be checked to find the cause of those symptoms. To know more about the device, visit
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