Extreme heat increases stroke riskresponsible for 1 in 10 deaths in our country, causing disability for half of those who survive. According to a study conducted by the Fudan University of Shanghai on over 82 thousand patients, the risk of stroke increases immediately with torrid temperatures, especially in the hottest hours of the day, and remains high for at least ten hours. Those at greatest risk are men and people with other obvious risk factors. such as high cholesterol or triglycerides, hypertension, atrial fibrillation. Isa-Aii (Italian Stroke Association) and Alice Italia Odv (Association for the fight against cerebral stroke) are reporting and commenting on the recently published Chinese research. The experts explain what to do to protect yourself.
“The biological mechanisms underlying the association between high temperature and stroke onset are not yet fully understood. – says Danilo Toni, past president of Isa-Aii, director of the Neurovascular Treatment Unit of the Policlinico Umberto I in Rome and president of the Technical-Scientific Committee of Alice – Heat, in fact, could determine an increase in cutaneous blood flow and, consequently, an increase in blood concentration and viscosity. These elements can be associated with the formation of thrombi and, therefore, with the increased risk of ischemic stroke”.
What can be done to prevent heatstroke?
Here is the decalogue of Isa-Aii and Alice:
1. Don’t go out during the hottest hours;
2. Drink plenty of water;
3. Eat light meals and eat lots of fruit;
4. Ventilate the room and adjust the air conditioning so that the internal temperature is not more than 8 degrees lower than the external temperature;
5. Protect yourself from the sun with hats and sunscreen;
6. Dress lightly and in natural fabrics;
7. Cool down with warm baths to avoid excessive temperature changes;
8. Do not stay in cars parked in the sun;
9. Consult your doctor for any ailments and do not change your medication intake on your own;
10. Choose locations with mild climates for your holidays.
Cerebral stroke is the third leading cause of death in Italyafter cardiovascular diseases and tumors, the experts from Isa-Aii and Alice underline. Every year in our country it affects 100 thousand people (20% are recurrences of stroke in patients who have already experienced it), with a very high mortality rate: 20-30% die within a month of the event and 40-50% within a year. There are approximately 1 million Italians who have recovered from a stroke, with more or less disabling outcomes, but the figure is growing both due to the progressive aging of the population and to the improvement of available therapies.
The risk of stroke increases with age, but there are also other factors that weaken the body’s defense mechanisms. These include dehydration (a result of sweating), which reduces the blood in circulation and increases its viscosity. Among the dangers, when extreme heat is added to age, are the use of certain medications such as antihypertensives, diuretics or beta-blockers, or conditions such as high cholesterol, chronic heart or lung disease, obesity, diabetes and hypertension.
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