No matter how pleasant the weather is, when the thermometers jump suddenly, the heat can become very dangerous. Pharmacist Toma Gečienė of "Eurovaistinė" says that in hot weather, even the healthiest person can suffer from overheating, sunstroke, dehydration, and impaired cardiovascular activity. However, older people and small children take the hot days the hardest.
To avoid overheating, it is advised to avoid direct sunlight between 10 am and 16 pm.
Risk for children and the elderly
The hot air temperature affects children, the elderly or those with chronic diseases the most, says Toma Gečienė, pharmacist of "Eurovaistinės".
"A child's body temperature rises 3 to 5 times faster than an adult's. This is because the body of young children does not adapt to temperature changes so quickly: the warmed up body cools down much more slowly, and children lose a lot of fluids and salts when they sweat," says the pharmacist.
The thermoregulatory system of older people also gradually breaks down, becomes less active, moreover, they often suffer from chronic diseases and take medications that increase the risk of dehydration. It is important to pay more attention to the health of those taking sedatives, diuretics or blood pressure lowering drugs.
A load on the heart
The pharmacist says that stuffy weather also poses a great danger to those complaining of cardiovascular diseases.
"During the heat, the body protects itself from overheating and tries to cool the body, so the blood vessels expand, the blood pressure decreases, and the pulse increases. As a result of these reactions of the body, one begins to sweat more, the person may feel more weak, the hands or feet may swell", says T. Gečienė and reveals how heat directly affects the work of the heart.
She explains that the heat can cause a lack of oxygen, and if you don't drink enough fluids, the blood thickens, which also increases the chance of blood clots. Such blood circulation disorders are dangerous, because the formed thrombi are one of the most common causes of stroke and heart attack.
If you experience heart rhythm disturbances, severe headache or dizziness, pain in the chest area, the pharmacist advises you to go to the shade as soon as possible, drink water, and consult a doctor if the symptoms do not go away.
Do you complain of apathy during the heat?
It is not uncommon for people to complain of greater apathy and fatigue when it is hot, but these sensations can occur not only because it is hot, but also because of an electrolyte imbalance and a lack of basic minerals.
"On a hot day, sweating increases, and along with it, useful trace elements - potassium, magnesium, which are important for heart activity - are removed. If there is a lack of these elements, the heart rhythm may be disturbed, fatigue starts to bother you, muscle twitching, cramps at night, heart palpitations, dizziness, nervousness increase, appetite worsens," says T. Gečienė.
On a hot day, the pharmacist recommends avoiding liquids with caffeine, sugar and sweeteners, as these only encourage even more liquid secretion. It is best to choose still mineral water. You should not wait until you feel thirsty, but drink liquids constantly.
In order to protect yourself from overheating, intense physical activity should also be avoided during the heat, so it is better to do garden work early in the morning or in the evening, try not to overwork, work more slowly, avoid direct sunlight from 10 am to 16 pm. On hot days, if there is no necessity, you should spend less time in the car behind the wheel, because the heat can impair reaction and attentiveness.
