Incidences of heat related disorders on the rise

Islamabad: The number of cases of heat related disorders including heat exhaustion, heat syncope, heat cramps and sunburn along with other summer-related ailments like gastroenteritis is continuously on the rise in this region of the country as a severe heat wave continues to prevail.

Almost all public and private sector healthcare facilities in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi are receiving significant number of patients with heat related illnesses and the same is the case with Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences.

PIMS has received over 3000 patients with gastroenteritis in last one month or so while patients suffering from heat exhaustion and heat cramps have also been reporting at PIMS outpatient department and in emergency department, said Deputy Director at PIMS Dr. Wasim Ahmed Khawaja while talking to ‘The News’ on Monday.

He added that nearly one-half of the gastro patients reaching PIMS have been with moderate dehydration while around 20 per cent reached the hospital with severe dehydration requiring intensive fluid replacement.

After the heat wave hit the region, the hospital has been receiving 60 to 100 patients every week on average with heat related disorders caused by exposure to severe heat, he said. He, however, added that no patient of sunstroke has been reported at the hospital so far. Majority of patients who reached hospital with heat exhaustion, heat cramps or heat syncope were males between the age of 25 years and 60 years, he said.

It is important that exposure to severe heat may cause as many as 14 disorders including heatstroke, heat hyperpyrexia, heat exhaustion, heat syncope and heat cramps of which heatstroke, also called as sunstroke is often fatal if the patient is not taken to a hospital well in time.

Dr. Khawaja said there is a need to create awareness among public on key signs and symptoms of heat related disorders including heatstroke that may be life threatening in case of ignorance.

Heatstroke results from failure of heat regulating mechanism and is characterised by very high body temperature which may go up to 110 Fahrenheit or 43.3 degree centigrade with profound disturbances including convulsions, coma, dry hot skin, with no sweating or sometimes excessive sweating. It can be fatal even if the patient is taken quickly to a hospital, said Dr. Khawaja.

He said that treatment of heatstroke consists of rapidly cooling of the body in ice water bath till the temperature falls below 38.9 degree centigrade.

Studies reveal that heat hyperpyrexia is associated with failure of heat regulating system of the body but without the characteristic symptoms of heatstroke. It also needs immediate treatment. Heat exhaustion is milder illness than heatstroke which is generally caused by imbalance or inadequate replacement of water and salts lost in perspiration due to thermal stress. Its symptoms include dizziness, weakness and fatigue and it may be severe enough to require hospitalization, especially in elderly. Treatment of it is only replacement of fluid and electrolytes balance.