Rush at OPDs as heat soars, doctors sound dehydration-exhaustion alert
Times of India | 4 April 2024
Kolkata: The hot and discomfort weather conditions in the past few days are taking a toll on the health of Kolkatans, especially those who have to remain outdoors for hours. Even though none of the city hospitals have recorded any heat stroke cases so far, doctors are getting a good number of people with heat exhaustion and dehydration. Health experts have cautioned people to take all precautions when outdoors to avoid severe consequences.
“Because of such hot and humid weather, the people who are engaged in outdoor activities are prone to develop heat exhaustion when the body starts sweating a lot due to the rise of the core body temperature resulting in dehydration. Heat exhaustion makes the person feel weak, dizzy and thirsty. I have seen two to four such cases in the past one week, mostly middle aged men, probably due to their higher exposure to the sun,” said internal medicine specialist Joydeep Ghosh of Fortis Hospital, Anandapur.
B P Poddar Hospital had tended to 14 persons in its emergency in the past three days, most of them down with extreme dehydration making them unwell while they were out in the sun. “37 patients came to our OPD with heat related issues. While most of them were middle-aged patients, some were school children. We had to admit two senior citizens because in addition to dehydration they had other issues like BP fluctuation and sodium, potassium imbalance,” said Supriyo Chakrabarty, group advisor, BP Poddar Hospital.
Doctors stated that in addition to cramp, headache, dizziness, heat exhaustion and skin rashes, the prevailing hot and discomfort weather can also cause gastrointestinal problems. “While some of the heat related issues might not result in serious complications, heat stroke can be dangerous and life threatening if not diagnosed and treated on time. We got two to three cases of heat stroke among young adults who were outdoor on professional work last year. It is only the beginning of the sultry days and people should take all precautions to avoid heat stroke,” said internal medicine professor Alakes Kumar Kole of SSKM Hospital.
Even though the Met office has not issued heatwave alert for Kolkata, the city will reel under hot, discomfort weather for now. “During summer, we get a good number of morning walkers coming to hospital with extreme dehydration. The most vulnerable include those out on the road for a long duration. Drinking adequate water, wearing light colour cotton clothes are some steps to avoid heat related issues,” said internal medicine specialist Rahul Jain of Belle Vue Clinic.