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- Ice and flame: what is the danger of a moody summer for people with heart problems and allergies
Ice and flame: what is the danger of a moody summer for people with heart problems and allergies
Heat, high humidity, as well as changes in atmospheric pressure and temperature are the reasons why people get sick in the summer. The leading diagnoses are related to food poisoning and the cardiovascular system. In particular, the risk of stroke increases by 10-20%. What other ailments annoy Russians in a moody summer and what to pay attention to in order not to spend the warm season in a hospital bed — in the Izvestia article.
How to survive allergies and asthma in the summer
All diseases exist all year round, but there are diagnoses that are specific to summer, says Denis Prokofiev, a general practitioner, cardiologist, and holder of the status of "Moscow Doctor." First of all, these are problems related to food poisoning. When the air temperature is high, pathogenic microorganisms multiply rapidly in food, so if you do not follow the food storage conditions and personal hygiene rules, then the path to a hospital bed is a foregone conclusion.
The specialist also draws attention to the large number of allergens contained in the air in summer. Their concentration depends on the flowering periods of plants, humidity and hot weather.
— Summer is an extremely unfavorable period for people suffering from bronchial asthma, including allergic type, — says Prokofiev. — People with chronic obstructive bronchitis of the lungs (COPD) and other pulmonological diseases are also at risk. Such patients experience an exacerbation that requires the supervision of doctors of related specialties — an allergist, a pulmonologist, an immunologist, and a therapist in order to correct and select inhaled medications.
At the same time, there used to be a stereotype that the development of acute respiratory viral infections is uncharacteristic for summer, the source reminds the editorial staff. The world community has been talking about this for decades, and young specialists who were diagnosed with acute respiratory viral infections in the summer were treated critically.
"But today we see that acute respiratory viral infections can develop not only in winter and off—season, but also in summer," explains the general practitioner. — SARS pathogens have become absolutely resistant, so the warm season is no exception for various pathogenic viruses, including covid or influenza A and B viruses.
The expert also warns against hypothermia, which may be associated with a sudden change in temperature due to the use of air conditioners.
— The most important rule in summer is that the temperature drop should not be very sharp. If a person is in a room with an air conditioner, it is necessary to create a comfortable temperature of 21 degrees. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that when going outside, where the air has warmed up to 30 degrees, the temperature difference should not exceed four to five degrees," comments Prokofiev.
According to him, in order to reduce the difference, it is advisable either to go into a room with a higher temperature regime, or turn off the air conditioner, wait 30 minutes and then go outside. Sudden temperature changes reduce the stability of the immune system and provoke a high risk of disease, so the transitions should be smooth.
Humidity and heat provoke strokes
The human body has mechanisms of adaptation to environmental changes, which are responsible for the autonomic nervous and cardiovascular systems, said Natalia Koryavtseva, a neurologist, medical expert at the ORBIE Stroke Foundation, and a member of the All-Russian Society of Neurologists, in an interview with Izvestia.
"However, severe weather anomalies can deplete this adaptive reserve in people with pre—existing chronic diseases," the specialist warns. — Changes in atmospheric pressure affect vascular tone, which can lead to fluctuations in blood pressure. And high humidity combined with heat disrupts thermoregulation processes, reducing the effectiveness of sweating.
As a result, according to the expert, problems such as hypertensive crises, angina attacks, cardiac arrhythmias, headaches, dizziness and general weakness may occur. In healthy people, these factors most often cause only temporary discomfort, but for patients at risk they become a serious challenge.
Surges in atmospheric pressure and sudden temperature changes from heat to cold have a detrimental effect on the cardiovascular system, which is particularly susceptible to the effects of the weather.
— Meteosensitive people, depending on the characteristics of the body, experience different conditions — hypertensive crises, hypotension, paroxysmal tachycardia. Therefore, it is important to determine whether this condition is a symptomatic pathology, that is, it is associated with other pathological processes in the body, or whether it is a persistent form of a specific disease, such as hypertension," adds Denis Prokofiev.
To determine the causes, a differential diagnosis is carried out as part of a medical examination, he clarifies. It may also be necessary for the patient to keep a self-monitoring diary with blood pressure and pulse recording.
Weather anomalies act as a trigger that can trigger a vascular catastrophe in a person with pre-existing risk factors (hypertension, atherosclerosis, atrial fibrillation), explains Koryavtseva.
— The main danger of abnormal heat is dehydration, — the neurologist warns. — Fluid loss leads to increased blood viscosity and a tendency to thrombosis, which can increase the risk of ischemic stroke. Sudden changes in atmospheric pressure provoke fluctuations in blood pressure: its sharp increase can lead to a rupture of a vessel (hemorrhagic stroke), and a sharp drop can lead to a critical decrease in blood supply to the brain.
Epidemiological studies based on large systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and population-based retrospective studies confirm this connection, the doctor says.
"For example, large meta—analyses show that during extreme heat waves, the number of hospitalizations for strokes increases by an average of 10-20%," the editorial's interlocutor emphasizes.
What to do to avoid getting sick
The problem with sleep, which is typical for hot weather, also requires an interdisciplinary approach, that is, supervision by several specialists. To begin with, Denis Prokofiev advises to exclude the most common and dangerous cause of sleep disorders — apnea, that is, nocturnal respiratory arrest. This is a life-threatening condition, which is indicated by pauses in breathing, night awakenings with a feeling of suffocation or lack of air, sweating during sleep, daytime drowsiness, irritability, morning headache. On hot days, the likelihood of developing obstructive sleep apnea increases dramatically due to high humidity, fluid retention, overheating, and shallow breathing.
—All other sleep disorders are insomnia, which is often solved by observing sleep hygiene," the doctor continues. — It is important to maintain optimal temperature and humidity, ventilate the rooms, and select bedding based on personal convenience. This complex must be followed to normalize sleep, as it is the rest of our central nervous system.
During periods of unstable weather and heat, Natalia Koryavtseva recommends following a risk minimization strategy based on several principles:
— water balance control. It is important to drink enough clean water in small portions throughout the day. Exclude alcohol, sugary sodas and energy drinks — they only increase dehydration and stress on the heart.;
— regular monitoring of blood pressure. People with hypertension should strictly take all medications prescribed by a specialist. In case of pressure surges, you should never change the dosage yourself — this should be done only after consulting with your doctor.;
— limitation of physical activity. This is especially true for cases in suburban areas. Working in a tilt under the scorching sun is a classic provoking factor for a stroke. Any activity should be rescheduled for early morning or evening;
— thermoregulation. It is necessary to avoid being in the open sun during its maximum activity hours (from 11:00 to 16:00). It is worth using air conditioners, avoiding sudden temperature fluctuations between the street and the room.;
— correction of the diet. Preference should be given to light foods rich in potassium and magnesium (vegetables, herbs). It is also necessary to limit the consumption of table salt, as it retains liquid and increases blood pressure.
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