Variation in temperature may cause complications

Rawalpindi : The setting in of winter in this region of the country may cause a number of mild to moderate health threats among healthy people but serious complications among chronic patients including those suffering from heart diseases, hypertension, high blood pressure and other chronic ailments if they do not take extra care.

Health experts say that a great variation in temperature between day and night puts population at greater risk of health hazards particularly those who have to spend time outside homes and offices late at night or early in the morning.

Almost all public sector healthcare facilities along with private hospitals in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi have started receiving burden of patients with seasonal ailments after fall in mercury and according to experts it is so mainly because majority of people do not use warm clothing properly at the time of setting in of winter.

It is time for individuals to take serious preventive measures to safeguard themselves and their children from health threats that may be in the form of upper or lower respiratory tract infections or serious complications in case of chronic patients, said Additional Medical Superintendent at Holy Family Hospital Dr. Tariq Masood Niazi while talking to ‘The News’.

The sudden fall in temperature in the night and early in the morning is not the culprit instead the incidences of colds, sore throat, cough, flu and asthmatic problems in adults and upper and lower respiratory tract infections including pneumonia among children are because of lack of awareness among public on how to avoid seasonal ailments, he said.

It is important that every year in November and December, the respiratory tract infections take shape of epidemic in the region.

A number of patients suffering from heart diseases, hypertension, high blood pressure and other chronic ailments have to face complications due to bad affects of cold weather as they do not take fall in temperature seriously, said Dr. Sohail Tariq, a medical specialist.

He like many other health experts believes that in winter, vasoconstriction, the narrowing of the blood vessels resulting from contraction of the muscular wall of the vessels may cause complications for patients with coronary heart disease. Such patients should not come out of homes early in the morning or late at night with uncovered nose, he said.

Sharp fall in temperature particularly at night and in the morning may cause body pains among people who do not use warm clothing, said Deputy Director at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Dr. Waseem Ahmed Khawaja.

He said it is time for parents to take extra care of children particularly those going to schools early in the morning when temperature falls to a significant level. Children should be covered properly in warm clothes and should not allow use of cold drinks and junk food at the time of setting in of winter instead they should be given hot drinks including ‘Qahwa’ and ‘Yakhni’, he said.

Malnourished children are at greater risk of contracting winter-related health threats including pneumonia and to avoid health hazards, parents should provide quality food to children, said Dr. Khawaja.