#InquirerSeven tips to avoid heat stroke

MARK ALVIC ESPLANA/INQUIRER SOUTHERN LUZON

With summer just around the corner and Metro Manila recording its highest temperature this year at a scorching 34.2 degrees celsius on Tuesday, it is imperative for Filipinos to take the necessary precautions against heat stroke.

According to the Department of Health, heat stroke is the “most severe form of heat illness” where the body overheats and cannot cool down because of dehydration.

READ: DOH warns public against heat stroke

The risk for a person to get heat stroke increases when there is hot and humid weather aggravated with a person’s vigorous exercise, dehydration, and prolonged exposure to the sun.

To prevent getting heat stroke, the health department provided the following tips:

•  Limit the amount you spend outdoors.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Avoid tea, coffee, alcohol, and soda to prevent dehydration.
• Wear wide-brimmed hats and long-sleeved clothes outdoors.
• Schedule strenuous activities and exercise at the beginning and end of the day.
• Store ice packs and ice for first-aid.
• Keep cool.

A person suffering from heat stroke will exhibit the following symptoms: body temperature of 40 degrees celsius or more, dry skin, rapid heartbeat, deliriums, and loss of consciousness, among others.

In case of heat stroke, a person should be moved to a shaded area and have him or her lie down with her legs elevated. Ice or ice packs should be applied to the person’s armpits, wrists, ankles and the groin and cool water on the skin to lower the temperature. After applying first aid, the person should be immediately transferred to the hospital.
Heat stroke, when left untreated, can damage the heart, brain, and kidneys. It can even result to death.

Last Monday, 28-year-old Vanessa Gannaban Teñoso, a female police trainee, died of cardiac arrest following a heat stroke. CDG

READ: Female police trainee dies of heatstroke days before graduation