Heat effects. Heat and heart. Throat and lung problems in extreme heat

22.07.2013

Heat is a relative concept. If the air temperature is less than 38 degrees, the body struggles with overheating, increasing subcutaneous blood flow. This allows the body to actively give off heat and effectively cool.

But when the heat intensifies and the external temperature becomes higher than the internal one, the body switches to "resource saving" and turns on the mechanism of blood flow centralization. Which, in turn, seriously increases the burden on cardiovascular system.

In addition, sweating increases in the heat. This contributes to dehydration of the body and, as a result, thickening of the blood and an increased risk of blood clots.

If a heat wave - the number of days with abnormally high temperatures - continues long enough, the risks are seriously increased, not only for those who suffer chronic diseases, but also healthy people. It is no coincidence that in the summer heat, which in last years is becoming stronger and longer, doctors note an increase in mortality among the population.

How to behave in the heat?

Try to stay in a cool room as much as possible - with air conditioning or just a powerful fan. Avoid direct sunlight, especially in the middle of the day. And if you work outside, take regular breaks and rest for 10-15 minutes in a cool room.

Reduce physical activity and transfer training or work to outdoors early morning or late evening when it gets a little cooler.

Avoid fatty and spicy, try not to overeat. Do not forget that sweet soda and juices do not help to cope with thirst, but only increase it. Therefore, in extreme heat it is better to drink ordinary low-mineralized water without gases. It is enough for a healthy person to consume about 2-2.5 liters pure water a day to make up for the loss of fluid in the heat.

Great time to quit

And, of course, summer heat- a great reason to refuse such bad habit like smoking. Many people do not even realize that they have a risk of blood clots, which the heat increases by an additional 20 percent. Nicotine increases this risk by almost 100 percent.

Alcohol is very dangerous in the heat. Its breakdown product, acetaldehyde, causes heart rate. In the heat, against the backdrop of change water-salt metabolism the consequences of alcohol consumption can be fatal.

If you have cardiovascular disease

People suffering arterial hypertension or heart failure, in the heat you have to be extremely careful. They are advised to measure their blood pressure and pulse at least three times a day and, in case of any changes, immediately consult with their doctor to adjust drug therapy.

And those who are prescribed drugs to prevent the formation of blood clots, it is necessary to carefully monitor the schedule of taking medications.

Also, people with cardiovascular diseases should definitely control their fluid intake. At the same time, its excess is just as dangerous as its deficiency: drinking more than 2 liters of water per day can become a serious burden on the circulatory system.

According to the site gnicpm.ru

The heat is fraught with many health problems: vasodilation threatens with edema and fainting, excessive sweating- dehydration, and overheating - heat stroke. In the heat, many people notice that they become distracted, they can’t concentrate, and thoughts don’t come into their heads. And indeed, the heat changes the way the brain works, scientists have found out from. The results of the study were published in the journal PLOS Medicine .

The effects of heat have usually been studied in the context of exposure to the outdoors, but many adults today spend up to 90% of their time indoors, the researchers note. This makes overheating at home or workplace no less significant problem. Besides, existing research The impacts of the heat tended to be concentrated around the most vulnerable segments of the population—children and the elderly. However, it also affects the rest not in the best way.

“There is evidence that our brains are sensitive to changes in temperature,” said Joseph Allen, one of the authors of the study. “And the more the climate changes, the more we will experience heat waves.”

To find out how heat affects cognitive abilities in young and healthy people, Allen and his colleagues invited 44 students living in dormitories to participate in the experiment. Some of them lived in buildings with centralized air conditioning, the rest lived in buildings without it. For the former, the air temperature in the bedrooms was about 21°C, for the latter it reached 27°C.

For 12 days, students received mathematical tests twice a day. One of them, which came to the smartphone immediately after the subject woke up, measured memory and decision speed, the second - attentiveness and information processing speed.

“We found that in buildings without central system conditioning students had a slower reaction: they were 13% slower in solving examples and gave 10% fewer correct answers per minute, ”says Allen.

The results, however, did not surprise scientists.

“It's like the experiment with the frog in boiling water,” Allen explains. “The temperature rises slowly, we hardly notice it, but it affects us.”

Other studies show similar results. So, in 2006 it was established that when the air temperature in the workplace rises above 23-24°C, the productivity of workers decreases. best temperature for work, scientists recognized 22.2 ° C. When it rose to 29°C, the performance of employees fell by 9%. The key parameters evaluated were the efficiency of working with text, simple calculations, duration telephone conversations with clients.

Another research team compared efficiency and health status of people living in buildings that meet and do not meet environmental standards. In the second case, too high a temperature was again to blame for the worst work productivity, and in addition to it - bad light. The difference in scores was astounding — residents of green homes performed 26.4% better on cognitive tests, 30% fewer complaints of illness, and 6.4% better sleep.

The same differences are observed among schoolchildren - passing the exam on a hot day leads to poor results.

Another team from Harvard spent several tests among schoolchildren in different days and found that if the air temperature reaches 30-32°C, then children cope with tasks 11% worse than at a temperature of 22.2°C.

I already wrote earlier - overheating is dangerous even in the last intrauterine months. The researchers analyzed data on more than 12 million Americans born between 1969 and 1977. They took into account the date and place of birth, race, gender and income level. Referring to the records weather conditions over the study period, the scientists found out how often people were exposed to high temperatures before birth and in the first year after. As it turned out, the more recent months before birth and in the first year of life they found themselves in a heat of about 32 ° C, the less they earned in adulthood. For every day spent in the heat, there was an average $30 decrease in annual income.

Fetuses and newborns are most sensitive to fever, as they nervous system and the ability to thermoregulate is not yet fully developed. So when heat affects a child's brain development, it can lead to many consequences, including career problems.

How can the effect of heat on the human body lead to death? In France in 2003, the heat wave was reported to have caused over 11,000 deaths, mostly among the elderly. People should not underestimate the impact of hot weather, average The annual death toll from the heat is about 450 in the US and about 250 in the UK. These deaths are generally avoidable with due care among the elderly. There are no statistics on the number of people who get sick due to sun exposure, but I'm sure we all understand how many people are affected by heat exposure.

Warm summer weather is rapidly approaching, many of us prefer to spend a lot of time outdoors, enjoying the sun. Others may choose to travel abroad for a holiday and enjoy the warm climate. However, it is important to stay safe in the heat, especially for the elderly. Older adults may be at greater risk of developing heat concomitant diseases such as: heat stroke, dehydration and others.

Why does the effect of heat affect the elderly more?

The elderly are in a group of more high risk development of heat stress compared with younger people, for a number of reasons. This is because older people do not have the body's adjustment to changes in temperature as younger people do. If a old man has a chronic disease, it can upset the body from normal responses to heat exposure, making it difficult for the elderly to effectively regulate temperature. Medications can also interfere with a person's ability to effectively regulate temperature, as some medications can inhibit the ability to sweat.

Signs and symptoms

There are a number of signs and symptoms that can be an indicator that a person is struggling to cope with the heat.

For signs and symptoms heat stroke include: extremely high body temperature, hot and dry skin, lack of sweat, rapid pulse, throbbing headache, dizziness and nausea. Heat stroke is the most serious illness caused by extreme heat. This occurs when the body's ability to regulate its own temperature is lost. The effect of heat on the human body can cause body temperature up to 106 degrees Fahrenheit (41.1 degrees Celsius) within 10-15 minutes. In the event of heat stroke, it is important that medical attention is provided.

Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat illness, and it can develop days after exposure to heat and dehydration. Signs and symptoms of heat stroke: heavy sweating, pallor, muscle cramps, weakness, fatigue, dizziness, headache, nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath (rapid or shallow breathing), a change in heart rate, loss of consciousness, and the skin may feel cold and damp to the touch.

What can be done to help?

If you suspect that you or someone may be suffering from a heat-related illness, there are some steps that can be taken to help relieve symptoms and prevent heat stroke. Visiting older people on a regular basis and monitoring their signs and symptoms of heat illness can be the first step in preventing developing disease. Make sure they have access to electric fans or air conditioners.

If a person is suffering from heat related illnesses such as heat exhaustion, there are a number of things that can be done to help prevent an emergency.

There are a number of ways to avoid heat stroke and reduce the effect of heat on a person: plentiful drink(without alcoholic drinks and decaffeinated), get plenty of rest, take cool showers or baths, sit in air-conditioned rooms, wear light clothing, stay in the shade during the heat of the day, not engage in strenuous activity, and protect the body with high SPF- factor when going out into direct sunlight.

It is important that older people stay cool during warm weather because their bodies are not as well adapted to deal with temperature changes compared to younger people, which increases their chances of getting sick. By using preventive methods, such as keeping certain areas of the body cool, can keep an older person healthy, and this, in turn, can help them maintain independence for as long as possible.

With a large difference in body temperature and environment the body undergoes changes. The fluid leaves the human body in order to cool it down, in turn there is not enough fluid to normal operation brain and other organs and, accordingly, the person becomes inadequate.

Some people may experience discomfort from hot sun summer days. They develop symptoms of dysphoria, namely, Bad mood with a predominance of melancholy-evil, gloomy-dissatisfied, plus irritability, aggressiveness, often fears, sharp drops mood, insomnia

For some, hot weather can be a powerful stress factor leading to the above described disorders, because the body is in constant overstrain, trying to protect itself with the help of such emotional reactions.
Take off negative state help, according to doctors, dosed physical activity, communication and sensitivity to own body. This is especially true for teenagers. Free time it is better to devote to friends or a useful cause.

The hot weather has Negative influence on the health of the population of all age groups. Particularly affected are persons with chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system, the elderly and children.

In hot summer period people are more likely to medical care. An increasing number of patients with elevated blood pressure, acute violation cerebral circulation, myocardial infarction. In anticipation of the hot summer period, Negative consequences hot weather on people's health.

In case of heat, the blood vessels of the skin expand reflexively, breathing becomes more frequent, the pulse often drops. blood pressure. The temperature of the skin rises, which leads to more heat loss due to radiation. But the main mechanism of regulation in case of overheating is sweating. The intensity of cooling depends on the volume and rate of evaporation of sweat from the surface of the body. It is believed that the inhabitants of the hot zone have sebaceous and sweat glands the skin is more developed than that of people living in the north. allocated sebaceous glands fatty substances also contribute to faster evaporation of sweat.

At high ambient temperatures, a person's well-being deteriorates sharply. The combination of high temperature and high humidity air. For example, at a temperature of 40°C and a relative humidity of 30%, well-being can be about the same as at 30°C and a humidity of 80%. At increased values of these elements, the well-being of people, as a rule, suffers greatly.

Moisture loss of a person on a hot day during physical work of medium difficulty in the open air ranges from 2 to 4-6 liters. For example, if you dig a garden in the sun, you lose about 2-4 liters of moisture, and tourists on a hot day can “lose” up to 6 kg due to moisture loss. During heavy physical exertion and in hot weather, special attention should be paid to drinking regimen and beware of heatstroke.

When the temperature rises to 30 ° C, sweating increases by 4-5 times. The same effect is observed when a person starts to work or starts to move. So, even when walking on an open highway, sweating increases by 2-3 times, and when running - by 4-6 times compared with a calm state.

Energy costs and moisture loss should be taken into account when organizing physical work, hiking trips, load dosing at sports games, as well as in Everyday life. This is especially true for the sick and the elderly.

So, the forms and degree of influence of temperature on a person are different in different seasons, under various household and industrial conditions. This influence depends on the magnitude and sign of the deviations of the actually observed values ​​of meteorological factors, on some optimal combination of them, which is commonly called "comfortable". The fact is that heat sensation is affected not only by the arrival of heat, but also by humidity and the intensity of air movement. Therefore, the comfort zone, that is, such parameters of the external environment in which a person feels the best way(without experiencing heat, stuffiness, cold, dampness, etc.), is determined by a number of conditions - not only weather, but also others related factors human life.

Ways of protection and prevention

It is not recommended to stay in the sun for a long time, especially with an uncovered head. Fluid needs to be taken regularly. It is preferable to quench your thirst with cool (but not cold!) drinks: water (preferably mineral), tea, juice, but in no case alcohol, coffee or beer. In addition, you need to control the temperature in the room and not be directly under the fan or air conditioner. Light, light-colored clothing made from natural fabrics (cotton, linen, silk) should be worn.
Patients with diseases of the cardiovascular system must clearly follow the recommendations of the doctor and take prescribed medications in a timely manner. People suffering from arterial hypertension need to regularly monitor their blood pressure.
Sick diabetes you need to monitor your blood sugar levels more closely.
Sun exposure is strongly discouraged for people taking antibiotics, as some antibiotics can sensitize the skin, leading to sunburn skin. The same goes for people suffering oncological diseases and receiving chemotherapy drugs.
People suffering from cardiovascular and lung diseases It is not recommended to use public transport during the hot time of the day.
Using these simple preventive measures, you can more easily endure hot, sultry days and avoid deterioration in health.

Cardiologists advise avoid drinking alcohol in summer especially for heavy alcoholic drinks.

Heat and sunstroke: signs, first aid for heat and sunstroke, prevention

It's called heat stroke severe violation vital activity of the body associated with its overheating.

Causes of heat and sunstroke

• high ambient temperature, including too stuffy weather and warm clothes;
• intense debilitating physical load on the body;
• the use of muscle relaxants (anesthetic drugs), which can cause hyperthermic syndrome.

Sunstroke provokes a long and intense direct effect of solar radiation on the body.

The cause of sunstroke is exclusively direct action sun rays on the head.

Sunstroke is a problem that we can only face during the summer period, while heatstroke can also indoors where the humidity is low and the air temperature is high.

Signs of heat and sunstroke:

• dizziness;
• headache;
• cardiopalmus;
• nausea;
• cold sweat;
• redness skin faces;
• prostration.

In critical cases, a person under the influence of strong heat or the sun can lose consciousness, and the body temperature can rise to 41 ° C.

Not all people are equally at risk of getting heat or sunstroke. There are predisposing factors that contribute to this.

Factors contributing to heat and sunstroke

• too much body weight;
• a state of increased psycho-emotional stress;
• obstacles to heat dissipation - too tight clothes, poorly ventilated rooms;
• cardiovascular and endocrine diseases;
• neurological problems;
• taking certain medicines;
• state of alcoholic intoxication;
• smoking.

Heat stroke course

Usually heat stroke starts suddenly, but sometimes there are some symptoms before it starts. unpleasant symptoms in the form of pulling muscle pain, a pronounced feeling of thirst, etc. Then the person’s pulse quickens, often becomes arrhythmic, skin become unnaturally dry and hot, blood pressure drops, shortness of breath appears. AT severe cases body temperature rises above 40°C and becomes clear signs the fact that the nervous system is affected, namely: the pupils dilate, muscle tone disturbed, convulsions appear, it may even happen involuntary urination or defecation. Quite often, heat stroke occurs against the background of nosebleeds, vomiting, diarrhea, anuria (urinary retention).

First aid for heat or sunstroke

The most important thing is to place the patient in a colder place as soon as possible in order to cool the body faster. Perfect option- this is a bath with a water temperature of 18-20 ° C, but there may also be the usual wetting of the skin of the injured person with water (also room temperature), and soft fanning (the air should be warm). If possible, put ice on the head, and wipe the armpits and groin area with alcohol. It is important to know that at the moment of cooling a person may show signs of a sharp mental motor excitation.

If heat or sunstroke did not happen outside, then the person must be immediately placed in the shade, freed from clothing as much as possible so that the skin cools, and laid so that the legs are located higher than the head. If a person is conscious, it is useful to drink water in small sips, the water should be at room temperature.

If the victim has lost consciousness, then he must be taken to medical institution for follow-up examination and treatment.

Prevention of heat and sunstroke

If you or your loved ones have a reduced resistance to heat, then it is imperative to acclimatize to high temperatures: correctly build a daily routine and drinking regimen. Preventive measures that help prevent overheating and, as a result, dehydration are: shady shelter from direct sunlight on the body, installation of air conditioning systems, table, floor, wall fans in the premises, the ability to use a shower unit to cool the body, etc.

One of the most important points prevention of heat stroke is to prevent dehydration of the body, which means that in the heat it is advisable to avoid increasing physical activity as well as increased exercise and drink as much liquid as possible. However, it should not be alcoholic beverages, strong tea or coffee. Water should not only be drunk, but also wiped with wet wipes (towel) on the skin. Going outside on a hot day, give preference to clothes made of light, preferably natural, materials in light colors, and also remember about a headdress.

Elderly people and children during high solar activity(12-15 hours) it is better to completely refrain from walking along fresh air, being at this time on the beach is generally not recommended. Before getting into the passenger compartment of a car that was standing under open sky on a sunny day, you must first open all the doors for cross-ventilation. Apart from a large number liquids on hot days you need to eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible.

Take care of yourself and be healthy!

head Department of Prevention MBUZ "Kolpashevskaya CRH" Deeva E.M.

People say that the heat of the bones does not hurt, but in fact it turns out that hot weather can become a situation close to extreme for a person. Heat affects all body processes, and it is important to know how to minimize this effect.

temperature records

The effect of heat on a person has always been of interest to people. During the experiments, it was found that a person is able to withstand a temperature of 71 ° C for one hour. 49 minutes to withstand a temperature of 82°C, 33 minutes to a temperature of 93°C and only 26 minutes to a temperature of 104°C. For the purity of the experiment, the measurements were carried out in dry air.

The maximum temperature at which a person can breathe evenly is 116 ° C.

However, in history there were cases when people withstood more than high temperatures. So, in 1764, the French physician Tillet provided the Paris Academy of Sciences with data on one woman who was in an oven with a temperature of 132 ° C for 12 minutes.

In 1828, a 14-minute stay of a man in a furnace with a temperature of 170 ° C was documented, and in 1958 in Belgium a man was in a heat chamber with a temperature of 200 ° C.

In wadded clothing, a person can withstand temperatures up to 270 ° C, without clothes - 210 ° C.

In the aquatic environment, human resistance to high-temperature experiments is lower. In Turkey, one man plunged headlong into a cauldron of water heated to 70°C.

Heat and heart

Doctors note that the human cardiovascular system is subjected to the most serious blow during extreme heat. At elevated air temperatures, the heart begins to work harder, the pulse quickens, the blood vessels dilate, and blood pressure often drops.

In the heat, the body loses a lot of fluid, and with it - mineral salts. At the same time, potassium and magnesium, the deficiency of which is especially acute in the heat, are necessary for the work of the heart and maintaining the heart rhythm.

Another consequence of dehydration is blood clotting. In tandem with low blood pressure, this increases the risk of blood clots.

Sweat in three streams

The body's first reaction to heat is sweating. This is how thermoregulation occurs. In this regard, we are lucky - in animals, the sweat glands are poorly developed and thermoregulation in them occurs mainly through the mouth. The intensity of the cooling of the body in the heat directly depends on the volume and rate of evaporation of sweat from the surface of the body.

In addition, through sebaceous glands fatty substances are also released, which also contributes to more efficient sweating.

Dehydration of the body, lack of water is not the main problem. The main thing is that along with sweat, the body loses salts and minerals. Their deficiency directly affects the cardiovascular system and the functionality of the brain.

Dehydration in the heat directly depends on the level of activity of a person. At intensive work or playing sports, moisture loss can be 5-6 liters. When walking in the open sun, perspiration increases twice, while running - 4-6 times.

Seriously affects well-being not only fever but also humidity. A temperature of 40°C and a relative humidity of 30% is perceived by the body in the same way as a temperature of 30°C and a humidity of 80%.

Heat and level of aggression

Heat affects not only the physiology of a person, but also his psyche. And it has a negative effect. Doctor psychological sciences David Myers studied the crime rate in six US states and established the following trend: a temperature increase of only two degrees will seriously increase the aggression in society.

According to Myers, every year cases aggressive behavior there will be 50,000 more citizens.

The most critical and aggressive temperature, according to Myers, is 27-30 degrees. If the temperature is less than 27 ° C, then a person successfully copes with it; if the temperature is above 30°C and approaches 40°C, then there is no time for aggression. The body in such hell spends a lot of energy on maintaining homeostasis (constancy internal environment) and the person turns on the "energy saving mode".

What to do?

Must be worn in hot weather the right clothes. Ideally, it should be loose-fitting and cover the entire body (remember the Bedouin robes).

Shorts and a T-shirt are, of course, good, but this bow is not suitable for a long stay in the sun. Large open areas of the body can provoke not only heatstroke, but also sunstroke, you can also get a sunburn.

Especially in the heat you need to take care of your head. Panamas, hats and caps in light colors will be just right. Ideally - a turban or scarves, like the Bedouins. Of course, you need to drink a lot. And not necessarily water. Unsweetened juices, decoctions of wild rose, linden or thyme, water with lemon, compotes are well saved from dehydration. Since salts come out with sweat, it is good to quench your thirst in the heat of non-carbonated mineral water and isotonics, which will restore the water-salt balance. Alcohol must be avoided. It will only increase dehydration.

Spot cryotherapy can help - applying cold objects to the lymph nodes, hands and behind the ears.

In jura, one should avoid heavy food, do not eat fried, fatty meat, salty foods (salt retains water in the body and impairs heat transfer). Eat fresh fruits, vegetables, little by little, but often, 5-6 times a day. Doctors strongly recommend that heart patients carry medicines, such as "Corvalol", "Validol" and "Nitroglycerin".