The highest temperature in Changsha on the 24th even reached 40.4 °C, breaking the local record for the highest temperature in July.
The unbearable heat in many places has also led to an increase in heat stroke cases in hospitals, and even some patients have a body temperature of more than 40 degrees, which is what we often call heat stroke, which can be life-threatening in severe cases.
Recently, there is a saying circulating on the Internet: "Heat stroke is the same as fever caused by bacterial or viral infection, as long as you take antipyretic medicine to cool down." Is there a scientific basis for this claim? Let's find out
"Heat stroke" requires physical cooling as soon as possible Heat stroke can be life-threatening
How does heat stroke occur and how do you cool down?
Heat stroke is an acute disease with central nervous system or cardiovascular dysfunction as the main manifestation due to dysfunction of the central body temperature regulation center or sweat gland failure, as well as excessive loss of water and electrolytes. It is mostly caused by the human body being exposed to high temperature and impermeable environment, the body cannot adapt to and tolerate the high temperature environment, and the heat in the body is more than the heat emitted outside the body.
Wu Haiyun, Chief Physician of the First Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital: Heat stroke is essentially due to the high temperature of the environment, especially when the temperature is high and the humidity is high, the human body has an obstacle in heat dissipation, resulting in an increase in the temperature of the body and affecting the function of the organs. Therefore, the treatment of heat stroke is to physically cool down as soon as possible.
Heat stroke is divided into precursor heat stroke, mild heat stroke and severe heat stroke, of which severe heat stroke can be divided into heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, with heat stroke being the most serious.
Wu Haiyun, chief physician of the First Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital: The biggest impact of heat stroke is the brain, and the main cause of death is brain damage. Heatstroke can lead to coma within tens of minutes or even half an hour. Once a coma occurs, it is dangerous and the mortality rate is high.
Antipyretics do not have a cooling effect and do not relieve the symptoms of "heat stroke".
Experts emphasize that on the surface, heat stroke and fever are both elevated body temperatures, but in fact the triggers are different. Do not use drugs indiscriminately for heat stroke, especially antipyretics.
Wu Haiyun, chief physician of the First Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital: General fever is actually inflammatory, and antipyretics, more precisely anti-inflammatory drugs, are inflammatory factors that reduce or prevent fever, and have no cooling effect.
The heat caused by heat stroke is a problem with the body's heat dissipation center, which is unable to dissipate heat through sweating. Taking antipyretic medicine cannot restore the heat dissipation center to normal, but it is counterproductive, aggravating symptoms, damaging organs, and delaying the rescue time.
Experts recommend that the quickest way to relieve the symptoms of heat stroke or even heat stroke is:
- First, move the patient to a cool, ventilated place that is protected from sun exposure.
- Second, cool down with cool water below 7°C as soon as possible, wipe the patient's body, and even soak the whole body.
- Third, pour cold water or even ice water to achieve the effect of quickly reducing the temperature in the body.
If you have symptoms of coma, you should be sent to the hospital promptly.
The better and fitter the physique, the more likely are people to suffer from heat stroke?
At the same time, there is also a saying on the Internet that "the better and stronger the physique, the more likely people are to suffer from heat stroke", is this true?
Experts say all people exposed to heat are at risk of heat stroke. Children, pregnant women, the elderly, those with chronic underlying medical conditions, and those with immunocompromised conditions are at greater risk. And people who are physically fit can also suffer from heat stroke if they do strenuous exercise or work in the heat.
Many people can't do without the air conditioner in summer, and there are rumors on the Internet that the air conditioner is turned on first, turned off when the room is cool, and then turned on after it is hot, so the cycle can save electricity. Is that so? In fact, the frequent switching of the air conditioner is more power-intensive. Although the air conditioner does not consume energy when it is not working, the energy consumption during the start-up phase is high. If you restart too many times, the total energy consumption will exceed the energy consumption of the air conditioner all the time.
The Paper
Editor: Xiang Yanhong