Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 30) — Summer can be fun, but too much sun exposure could be a health risk for everyone, a public health expert warned.
\”Yung heat related illnesses ay nahahati yan sa tatlo: yung heat cramps, yung heat exhaustion, at ang pinaka-severe ay yung nahihimatay ka na and this can cause death or increased fatalities sa mga taong vulnerable dito particularly yung mga bata at matatanda, ang tawag dito ay heat stroke,\” public health expert Dr. Tony Leachon told CNN Philippines’ Newsroom Ngayon.
[Translation: Heat related illnesses can be classified into three: heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and the severe one cause you to faint, and this can lead to death especially among the vulnerable like children and the elderly, this is what you call heat stroke.]
The Department of Health defines heat stroke as \”the most severe form of heat illness when the body overheats and cannot cool down. The body cannot take off the excessive heat by sweating because of dehydration and/or humid environment.\”
Leachon said among the symptoms of heat stroke are extremely high body temperature of up to 40 degrees Celsius, headache, exhaustion, difficulty breathing, fast pulse rate, low blood pressure, and loss of consciousness.
Here are some first aid measures to give to anyone experiencing heat stroke, according to Leachon:
– Bring the person under a shaded area or anywhere with cooler temperature
– Carefully lay down the person with much care on the head
– Elevate the person’s legs to normalize blood pressure
– Loosen the person’s clothes
– With a cloth dampened with ice-cold water, wipe the person’s head, neck, armpits, upper body, and groin
– Once the person gains consciousness, let him drink water to rehydrate and avoid possible kidney problem
– Bring the person to the nearest clinic or hospital for intravenous fluid if he did not regain his consciousness after 10 to 15 minutes
Leachon also warned the public against going out between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. as the heat is very high during these hours.
He also advised the use of sunglasses and sunblock for skin protection.
