This heatwave can kill. Here's how to survive it

In many parts of the country, spring felt like summer. India saw the season’s first heatwave as early as March 11 and the weather continues to be unusually warm. What does that mean for our health? Dr Satish Koul, director of internal medicine at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon, tells us how to avoid complications arising out of excessive heat.Q: We know that exposure to high temperatures can lead to heat exhaustion but fail to recognise it when it hits us. What are the signs of heat exhaustion?A: Heat exhaustion is common when the core body temperature goes beyond 37.C. The common signs of heat exhaustion are lethargic feeling, increased thirst, loss of appetite or anorexia, weakness and easy fatigability, headache, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, raised body temperature or hyperthermia and decreased urine output, among others. If heat exhaustion is not addressed in time, it may lead to heatstroke.Q: How is heat stroke treated and what can untreated heat stroke lead to?A: The mainstay of treating heatstroke is to remove the patient from the direct exposure to heat. The patient, once identified to be suffering from heatstroke, should be placed in a shady area. Various cooling methods are used to bring the core temperature below 37.C. Evaporative cooling is very effective and in extreme cases cold water lavage of stomach and bladder is also done in emergency rooms. Untreated heat stroke may lead to coma, multi-organ failure and even death in 10% of the patients.Q: Can one suffer from a heat stroke even if there's no heatwave?A: Yes, one can suffer from heatstroke without heatwaves too. This is called exertional heatstroke and it mainly affects young, active people. Heatstroke mainly affects people with limited physiological reserves like children, elderly people, chronically ill patients, and people on certain medications which may increase the risk of heatstroke.Q: Heat cramps are a common complaint during summers. How can one avoid those?A: Heat cramps may be avoided by doing simple things like: maintaining hydration, taking adequate electrolytes, acclimating to heat, avoiding direct exposure to the sun and avoiding exercising in hot conditions. Q: There are a host of home remedies for heat exhaustion. We have grown up hearing the cooling properties of green mango, onion, coconut, or mint. Do they help?A: India is a tropical country and over the last many centuries our population has adapted or acclimatised to its hot summer. Various home remedies like aam panna, kanjee, coconut water, fennel seed water, raw mango juice, butter milk etc have been used to prevent heat exhaustion. The main thing is to increase the water intake in summer to compensate for the water loss from skin due to increased perspiration. Though increased thirst is a basic sign of dehydration, one should be even more careful in summer. Depending on the underlying medical conditions like heart disease, kidney disease and one's age, adequate fluid replenishment is the key. For the average person 8 to 10 glasses of water with adequate salt replacement is important. And if you are exercising, the fluid replacement should adequately match its loss.Health on your mind? Subscribe to the weekly newsletter here