People advised to take precautions to avoid heatstroke

Experts suggest people should wear masks and cover their necks before heading out

LAHORE: Medical experts suggested that people who are fasting and going to work in scorching heat should wear masks and cover their necks to avoid heatstroke. The Pakistan Metrological department has not issued an advisory in this regard.

Mayo Hospital’s ENT Specialist Dr Owais Samee told The Express Tribune patients suffering from heatstroke were being treated at the Mayo Hospital and most of them were labourers or street vendors.



He said although not a large number of people were affected by the condition thus far, it is a warning sign of things to come with temperatures hitting up to 45 or 46 degrees Celsius nowadays.

He added if failed people failed to take care of themselves or adopt precautionary measures, they were likely to hit by heatstroke.

“The weather in the city is very hot and it can cause various health issues,” said Dr Owais. He pointed out that the human body was incapable of producing sweat to get rid of heat when it was too hot, thus making people who spend a lot of time outdoors vulnerable. The doctor added several people who visited the hospital on Sunday suffered from asthma attacks, runny noses, muscular pains, flu and sore throats.

Diabetics at risk

People who are diabetic should consult their doctors before fasting because they are at many risks such as dangerously low or high blood glucose levels, diabetic ketoacidosis and blood clots etc, said Mayo Hospital’s Physician Dr Salman Kazmi. A drop in blood sugar may lead to severe hypoglycaemia and loss of consciousness, while high blood glucose may lead to dehydration.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2017.