NEW DELHI: Delhi experienced scorching temperatures with heatwave to severe heatwave conditions for the sixth consecutive day, despite a slight decrease in temperature. Narela in north Delhi recorded the highest temperature at 49.2 degrees Celsius, while Mayur Vihar in east Delhi had the lowest among the forties at 45.2 degrees Celsius. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is still examining the record-breaking temperature of 52.9 degrees Celsius recorded at the automatic weather station in Mungeshpur on Wednesday.
Doctors emphasize the importance of early cooling measures and report that several patients with heat stroke symptoms have been admitted to hospitals in the past week. Patients with pre-existing conditions such as cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart and kidney diseases are particularly vulnerable to heat stroke. Dehydration, a severe consequence of extreme heat, can be fatal for heart and kidney patients as it exacerbates their condition.
Lower and middle-income groups are the primary sufferers of heat stroke, as not everyone has access to a fully air-conditioned environment. Even upper-class individuals with pre-existing conditions might unintentionally expose themselves to heat during activities like morning walks, strenuous exercise, or spending time in non-air-conditioned areas. Hospitals have seen an increase in patients with serious pre-existing conditions requiring ICU care due to the heatwave.
Here is what you should do to keep yourself safe from heatstroke:
Exertional Heatstroke
Doctors emphasize the importance of early cooling measures and report that several patients with heat stroke symptoms have been admitted to hospitals in the past week. Patients with pre-existing conditions such as cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart and kidney diseases are particularly vulnerable to heat stroke. Dehydration, a severe consequence of extreme heat, can be fatal for heart and kidney patients as it exacerbates their condition.
Lower and middle-income groups are the primary sufferers of heat stroke, as not everyone has access to a fully air-conditioned environment. Even upper-class individuals with pre-existing conditions might unintentionally expose themselves to heat during activities like morning walks, strenuous exercise, or spending time in non-air-conditioned areas. Hospitals have seen an increase in patients with serious pre-existing conditions requiring ICU care due to the heatwave.
Here is what you should do to keep yourself safe from heatstroke:
Exertional Heatstroke
- Exposure : Athletic event and working in high heat stress conditions
- Acute risk factors : Dehydration, concurrent illness, obesity, wearing too much clothing, poor cardiovascular fitness
- Heat injury development : Quick rise in core body temperature over a few minutes or hours
Classic heatstroke
- Exposure : High environmental heat with or without high humidity
- Acute risk factors : Lack of adequate ventilation/cooling, confined places, physical exertion not a prerequisite
- Heat injury development : Slow rise in core body temperature over a few hours or days
Corrective measures
Rapid cooling is the most effective strategy for minimising morbidity and mortality from heatstroke and should be initiated as soon as possible, and within 30 mins of appearance of symptoms
- Move the person to shade/indoors
- Call emergency medical services
- Have the person lie down with feet elevated
- If conscious, give cold water to sip
- Remove external clothing, If required
- Spray the person with cold water
- Apply damp sheets/ towels/ice packs to the torso, armpits, neck, head, groin
- Use a fan to direct air towards the body
Preventive measures
- Avoid going out in the sun, especially between noon and 3pm
- Drink sufficient water and as often as possible, even if not thirsty
- Wear lightweight, light-coloured, loose and porous cotton clothes
- Use protective goggles, umbrella/hat, shoes or slippers while going out in the sun
- Avoid strenuous activities when the outside temperature is high. Avoid working outside between noon and 3pm
- While travelling, carry water
- Avoid alcohol, tea, coffee and carbonated soft drinks, which dehydrate the body
- Use ORS, homemade drinks like lassi, torani (rice water), lemon water, buttermilk, etc, which help the body to re-hydrate
- Keep your home cool, use curtains, shutters or sunshade and open windows at night