“First of all, because of the heat, our blood vessels dilate (vasodilation occurs). This causes more water to be lost in the skin and respiratory mucosa.
If we do not take care to drink enough water, dehydration can occur. In turn, dehydration leads to a decrease in blood pressure, which comes with other symptoms such as dizziness, fainting, palpitations, headache“, explained for Ziare.com Dr. Georgiana Margarit, Internal Medicine specialist at the Nutrition Clinic KiloStop.
We remind you that today is in force a orange heat wave code valid in Banat, Crisana, Maramures, most of Transylvania and in the southwest of Oltenia. The rest of the country is under a yellow heat wave.
The doctor also told us that, on the other hand, our body has the ability to adjust itself when a critical situation arises. Thus, when the outside temperature is very high, the thermoregulation comes into operation. Specifically, there is an increase in sweating to cool the skin and vital organs, explained the specialist.
“Sweating means losing water, so there is a feeling of thirst, which we must not ignore in any way. You are thirsty, drink water, so as not to become dehydrated!”, She added.
The nervous system, including the brain, is most sensitive to dehydration and signs include headaches, dizziness, nervousness, even fever and vomiting in more serious situations., as it happens in case of sunstroke, the doctor explained.
Humidity, just as dangerous
Not only the outside temperature is important; The culprit for the illness and possible problems may be humidity and climatic differences from one area to another. “In general, people tolerate heat better when the air is dry. Humidity increases the discomfort,” said Dr. Georgiana Margarit.
The good news is that a healthy person who respects some minimum precautions is unlikely to be in a critical situation. These mean enough water (over two liters a day), avoiding exposure to heat, especially at noon, covering the head, light clothing and avoiding intense physical activity.
Especially lack of water can cause fainting, vomiting, dizziness, headache. “Therefore, we know that we are in a critical situation when we have one of these symptoms, and the immediate solution is to retreat to the shade and hydrate,” said Dr. Margarit.
However, not every liquid helps us. We can drink water, lemonade, teas without worries.
“It is not recommended to consume a lot of coffee (at most 1-2 cups a day),” said the doctor. “This is because coffee is a diuretic and increases the degree of dehydration. Alcohol is part of the same category. So, avoid drinking alcohol during the heat! Not even beer is recommended,” said Dr. Georgiana Margarit.
“Also from the category of non-recommended drinks, I would mention energizers. They increase the pulse and blood pressure, leading to the elimination of water”, the doctor pointed out.
During this period, we should be very careful with the food we eat, because it can easily lead to enterocolitis and food poisoning. In addition, we should always have sunscreen with us, warns the specialist.
For whom the heat wave is very dangerous
If healthy people who follow these recommendations will not be in danger, the same cannot be said about age extremes. Thus, children (from newborns to the age of 5-7 years) dehydrate easily. Elderly people with neurological diseases, such as dementia, no longer feel thirsty, so those around should make sure they get enough water.
Those who suffer most from heat (but also from humidity) are hypertensives, heart disease and those with lung disease.. Their ailments can worsen during periods of heat.
In addition, it can increase the risk of hypertension, stroke, and heart failure can also be aggravated.
The luckiest of us have never felt the effects of the heat. This does not mean that we should not know the signs that the body is suffering, to know when the situation is really critical and, perhaps, we should call an ambulance.
According to the doctor, when we see that a person is a little dizzy, has a headache, fainting, all we can do is take him to the shade and give him water to drink.
If the symptoms are more severe (for example: fainting, the person does not respond to verbal stimuli, does not breathe, does not have a pulse), then we must urgently call an ambulance.
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