National News

HYDERABAD, (APP): Professor of Medicine of Liaquat University
of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro Dr Sohail Almani here Thursday advised the people to increase water intake during the current hot spell for avoiding dehydration viz-a-viz heatstroke.
Talking to APP he said, heatstroke is the severe injury from high body
temperatures that causes damage to many organs, particularly the central nervous system, which include the brain and spinal cord.
Dr Sohail emphasized that heatstroke is a life-threatening emergency and
without proper care, the victims of heatstroke could most likely die.
The people who have exertion heat stroke are usually the persons who are
exercising in excessively warm conditions and their bodies cannot manage the stress of the physical activity and hot environment together.
Dr Sohail said the main focus of treatment is to lower the body
temperature and different techniques can be used adding that heatstroke, like all heat-related illnesses, is preventable and some of the ways to prevent heatstroke is stay well hydrated, wear cool clothes, drink more fluids than usual and keep cool.
Drinking enough fluids during exercise helps to improve heart function,
maintain kidney function and lower the body’s core temperature, he said.
The dehydration can stress the heart and reduce the kidneys’ ability to
maintain the correct balance of electrolytes charged elements such as potassium, sodium, phosphorous, chloride and essential for the normal function of every cell in the body.
People in supervisory positions such as coaches, trainers, and
lifeguards should be trained to specifically recognize signs of heat illness and other kinds of preventive measures to take, he informed.
Prevention and protection from heatstroke is quite easy and the very
first thing to remember is that heatstroke can be caused by dehydration because the body needs water to cool down, Almani said.