Midanaotoday.com | Camiguin PHO warns against heat stroke
By: Theresa Arlene Gambe
CAMIGUIN – In response to the detrimental effects of the reoccurring hot weather and the onset of the Philippine summer heat, Dr. Magnolia Naman, Camiguin’s provincial health officer, advises the public to be wary of exposure to extreme heat, which may damage a person’s cardiovascular system, eventually leading to deadly heat stroke.
“Mag-ingon ta og extreme heat; muabot na siya og 41 degrees Celsius. Atong normal body temperature dapat naa lang siya sa 36.7°, so kung muabot gani og 41°, taas na kaayo na siya na temperature na mupahilis sa atong lawas—hilison niya ang tanan hangtod na madaot ang atong cardiovascular system,” Naman said during the ‘OK Doc!’ radio program, April 12.
(When we say extreme heat, that reaches up to 41 degrees Celsius. Our normal body temperature should only be around 36.7°, so if it reaches 41°, that’s high enough to melt our body; it will melt until it damages our cardiovascular system)
She further explained that the damage to the cardiovascular system is what leads to heat stroke.
In comparison to heat exhaustion, Naman explained that the most noticeable difference between the two is that those who experience heat exhaustion have cold skin due to sweat and may experience dizziness, while those who experience heat stroke have hot skin, experience extreme headaches, and sometimes collapse.
“Ang heat stroke, severe form na gyud na siya sa exposure sa too much heat sa lawas. Ang mga sintomas gyud ana is sakit na imong ulo, paspas mupitik imong kasing-kasing, magluya na ka and eventually gyud mag collapse na and worse is magbaba na imong blood pressure, and kana dayong mag-coma—mao nang makamatay gyud ang heat stroke,” said Nama.
(Heat stroke is the severe form of prolonged heat exposure to the body. Its symptoms include headaches, heart palpitations, and lightheadedness, and it eventually causes collapse. Worse, the person’s blood pressure may go down, leading to a coma—that is why heat stroke is deadly)
Nama elaborated that persons easily affected by heat stroke are children, the elderly, and even youthful ones who are chronically ill due to their bodies’ inability to acclimatize quickly to the heat.
She advises the public to avoid wearing thick clothes or other kinds of clothing that can add to the heat. Upon experiencing the symptoms of heat stroke, she advises finding immediate ways to cool down the body, even to the extent of direct use of ice on the skin.
Dr. Gretchen Cabalang, “OK Doc” radio program’s host, also encourages the public to constantly bring drinkable water when outside the house. (TAAG | PIA-10 | Camiguin)
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