Medical news June 22: Fear of heat stroke and acute kidney failure due to lack of water
Working from early morning until noon, in the midst of extremely hot weather, Mr. TTA, in Hanoi, had to be hospitalized with a diagnosis of acute kidney failure due to lack of water...
Acute renal failure due to dehydration
According to information from Duc Giang General Hospital, the hospital's Department of Nephrology and Urology has just admitted a patient with acute kidney failure due to dehydration after working many hours outdoors in the hot sun.
 |
| Hot weather has many health risks. |
The patient is Mr. TTA (71 years old). According to the story, before being hospitalized, Mr. A. went to work in the fields from 7am to noon, in hot weather. During this time, the patient only brought 500ml of water to drink.
At home, he felt tired, uncomfortable, and vomited when eating and drinking water. His family took him to a nearby medical facility for monitoring and treatment. There, test results showed increased blood urea and creatinine and he was diagnosed with acute kidney failure due to dehydration.
After one day of treatment, the patient developed complications of acute renal failure, hyperkalemia, and was expected to require dialysis, so he was transferred to Duc Giang General Hospital.
Here, after 2 days of treatment, the patient's condition gradually stabilized, and kidney function showed signs of recovery. Dr. Nguyen Van Tuyen, Head of the Department of Nephrology - Urology (Duc Giang General Hospital) said that hot weather causes the body to lose a lot of water and electrolytes.
If not properly hydrated, it will lead to a decrease in circulating volume. This means a decrease in blood supply to tissues and organs, especially the kidneys, which will cause acute renal failure.
Therefore, when it's hot, if we only work in a normal environment, not too hard, we have to drink 3-4 liters of water every day.
In cases where the patient has to work in a harsh hot environment like the one mentioned above, the level of hydration must be higher.
According to the Ministry of Health, the risk of stroke can increase by 10% when the ambient temperature increases by 1 degree Celsius. Therefore, people should pay attention when experiencing health problems due to heat, depending on the severity of the symptoms, they need to quickly apply appropriate treatment measures. Medical experts note that hot weather has a great impact on health, increasing cases of stroke, heat shock, etc.
Hot weather is a favorable factor that causes people with risk factors for stroke such as diabetes, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, vascular diseases, arrhythmia, heart valve disease, metabolic diseases, obesity, smoking, alcohol abuse, etc. to have a stroke.
According to doctors, when you are out in the sun or active in hot weather, the body's thermoregulatory center stimulates the sweat glands. This helps to sweat to reduce body temperature.
In some cases, when the temperature is too high or people are not hydrated enough, the body's thermoregulation process does not work. Or, the thermoregulatory center at the back of the neck is disrupted, causing the thermoregulation ability to not work.
This condition causes the body temperature to gradually increase. In normal condition, the body temperature remains at 35 – 36 degrees Celsius. However, when the body temperature cannot be regulated, the body temperature can increase to 38 – 39 degrees Celsius or up to 40 degrees Celsius, leading to heat stroke.
When in a hot environment for a long time, the patient may experience heatstroke. However, if left untreated, this condition can turn into heat stroke, also known as sunstroke.
Heat stroke is when the body temperature rises uncontrollably. At that time, the blood vessels dilate, reducing the amount of blood supplied to organs in the body such as the heart, liver, and lungs.
When dehydrated, blood tends to condense. At the same time, the body also loses electrolytes, the concentration of electrolytes changes, affecting neurotransmitters in general. From there, it causes fatigue, drowsiness, headaches, symptoms manifest in all organs.
In particular, with the respiratory tract, the patient may have breathing disorders, apnea. With circulation, symptoms may include rapid heart rate.
Some patients even suffer from arrhythmia. When in heat shock, the body lacks oxygen and nutrients, leading to metabolic disorders, acute kidney failure, liver failure, and multiple organ failure.
If not treated promptly, within 30 minutes, the patient is at risk of dying. If he survives, he will have many sequelae. If he receives timely emergency care, the patient can avoid sequelae.
Distinguishing between heatstroke and sunstroke
There are two types of heat stroke: The first type is classic heat stroke, often found in people with low resistance such as children, the elderly, and people with underlying diseases. When doing a lot of activities in hot weather without replenishing water, people will be at risk of heat stroke.
The second type of heat stroke is exertion-induced. This condition is most common in young, healthy people and athletes. Overexertion in the sun, without protection, etc., can lead to heat stroke due to overexertion.
To distinguish between heatstroke and sunstroke, in mild cases, body temperature usually does not rise too high, below 40 degrees Celsius.
In people with heatstroke, the skin is not too red and not dry. However, when suffering from heatstroke, the body temperature rises very high, above 40 degrees Celsius, the skin is dry, red, and there is no more sweat because the thermoregulatory center is not working. The most obvious neurological signs are drowsiness and coma.
Meanwhile, people with heatstroke often only have headaches and fatigue. Both cases have cardiovascular symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, low blood pressure or rapid, shallow breathing.
When encountering a patient with heat stroke, the first thing to do is to try to lower the body temperature below 40 degrees Celsius, move to a shady place, remove some clothes, use a towel soaked in warm water to wipe the armpits and groin. If water is poured on the patient, use cool water.
In addition, breathing and heart rate should be checked. Artificial respiration and chest compressions may be required if necessary. If the patient can drink, water or electrolyte solutions should be given.
If the patient is not conscious, do not drink water to avoid causing airway obstruction. Then, quickly take the patient to the nearest medical facility.
According to doctors, when the heat index is high, it is best for people to stay in a cool environment. If you have to go out in the sun, you can prevent heatstroke by following these tips:
When going out in hot weather, cover your body by wearing loose, light, light-colored clothing, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunscreen.
Do not work too long in the sun or in hot environments, avoid strenuous physical activities. Take regular breaks after about 45 minutes or 1 hour of continuous work in hot places, rest in a cool place for 10-15 minutes.
Supplement with fruit juices to help reduce body temperature on hot days; wear cool, comfortable, light-colored clothes and a wide-brimmed hat; use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher.
To prevent dehydration, people should drink at least 1.5 liters of water, fruit juice or vegetable juice every day. In addition, you can use sports drinks rich in electrolytes on days when the temperature is high and the humidity is low.
Take extra precautions when exercising or working outdoors. The general recommendation is to drink about 700ml of water 2 hours before exercise and consider adding an additional 250ml of water or sports drink immediately before exercise.
During exercise, every 20 minutes, you should drink an additional 250ml of water even if you do not feel thirsty.
Avoid fluids that contain caffeine or alcohol, as these can make dehydration worse. People should also not take salt tablets unless directed by a doctor.
The simplest and safest way to replace salt and electrolytes during heat waves is to drink sports drinks or juice.
In case of epilepsy/ heart disease, kidney/ liver disease… on a fluid-restricted diet; or the body has problems with water retention, consult a doctor before increasing the body's water intake.
When you just come back from the sun, this is the time when your body sweats a lot, your body temperature is high, if you take a bath right away it will cause a sudden change in body temperature, which is very dangerous and can lead to a stroke.
The period of 1 hour after severe heatstroke or sunstroke is called the “golden time” for emergency treatment. Therefore, when providing emergency treatment for heatstroke or sunstroke, it is necessary to pay close attention to initial first aid at the scene.
Therefore, when encountering someone with sunstroke or heatstroke, we must immediately take the following steps: Take the patient to a cool, airy place (in the shade, in a cool car or house, etc.) and call for support, especially emergency support.
Clear the airway, perform artificial respiration and chest compressions if the patient is unconscious and has no pulse. Immediately apply cooling measures to lower body temperature. Measure body temperature if a thermometer is available.
Remove clothing and apply warm water to the patient, then use a fan to increase evaporation (the patient should lie on his side or be supported in a position with his hands supporting his knees so that the skin surface can receive as much wind as possible.
Apply cold towels or ice packs to the armpits, groin, and neck. Give plenty of water or electrolyte solution if the patient is conscious and able to drink. Transfer the patient by air-conditioned vehicle or open the windows, continuing to cool the patient during transport.
Comment (0)