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| Pedestrians cross the street in the financial district of Yeouido, Seoul, in sweltering heat in this file photo. Korea Times file |
By Bahk Eun-ji
Prolonged exposure to hot temperatures especially in the scorching summer can easily cause heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion, cramp or sunstroke.
Anyone can experience heat exhaustion and sunstroke, but the elderly, infants, young children and pregnant women are especially vulnerable.
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), Wednesday, 190 people visited 500 emergency rooms (ER) across the country for heat-related illnesses from May 20 to June 30 this year, up from the previous year's 168 during the same period.
Of them, 135, or 71 percent, were male. By age, those in their 50s took up the largest portion, with 32 patients, followed by 31 people in their 40s and 26 twentysomethings.
Heat exhaustion was the most common symptom as 60.5 percent of the patients visited ERs for the illness, followed by heatstroke with 18.9 percent, heat syncope, 10 percent, and heat cramps, 9.5 percent.
Elderly people are more vulnerable to heat stress than young people, as their bodies may not adjust well to high temperatures. They are also more likely to have chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes and thus take medication which could interfere with the body's ability to regulate temperature.
Infants or children can also be prone to heat-related illnesses, as their body temperature is usually higher than adults due to faster metabolisms. Their bodies' ability to adjust to temperature changes has not yet fully developed.
Heatstroke
Heatstroke is a condition caused by the body overheating as a result of prolonged exposure to or physical exertion in high temperature. It is the most dangerous among heat-related diseases with a high fatality rate.
Heatstroke occurs when the body temperature rises to 40 degrees or higher. Dizziness and nausea with a light headache are common symptoms, and in some severe cases the patient can lose consciousness.
When a person shows the symptoms, people around them are advised to lower the person's body temperature with cold water or icepacks. Placing icepacks under armpits or around the neck will be effective. Doing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should follow when necessary after calling 119.
Heat exhaustion
Heat exhaustion is usually caused by dehydration after sweating. The main symptoms are heavy sweating, muscle cramps and a rapid pulse as a result of the body overheating.
It is not life-threatening when treated in the early stages. People with heat exhaustion need to use cold wet towels to lower body temperature and drink more than 1 liter of water or a sodium beverage.
Heat syncope
Heat syncope is when a person faints suddenly or loses consciousness due to low blood pressure. Heat causes blood vessels to expand, so body fluid moves into the legs by gravity, causing low blood pressure and resulting in fainting.
It can be caused by blood pooling in the legs if a person stands for a long time in a hot weather. Dehydration can also increase the risk of the illness. When a person shows symptoms, they are recommended to lie down in a cool environment and drink cool water or beverage.
Tips for prevention
"Try to limit outdoor activity in the afternoon. Doing outdoor activities when it's cooler, like morning and evening hours, can be helpful in preventing heat-related illness," KCDC Director Jeong Eun-kyeong said in a press release. Workers at outdoor construction sites or farms are recommended to rest often in shady areas so their bodies have a chance to recover, Jeong added.
"When temperatures are too high, electric fans will not prevent heat-related illness, and taking a shower with cool water or moving to an air-conditioned place will be much better to cool off. So look for any heat-relief shelters in the neighborhood," she said.
