Especially for older people, heat waves are a deadly risk. But even a healthy body can create extremely high temperatures. FOCUS Online explains what you should look out for.
Everywhere in Europe, the heat has devastating consequences for man and the environment. On Friday, a 33-year-old roofer suffered in the vicinity of Rennes in Western France with a fatal weakness, as he went on a roof at 35 degrees in the shadow of his work. In Italy, a 60-year-old scaffolder, was broken a day earlier, in Rimini during the work died.
In Andalusia in southern Spain, a 17-year-old farmhand, suffered on Thursday a fatal heat stroke in the city of Valladolid in Northern Spain, a 93-year-old man collapsed after a heat stroke on the road dead. On Thursday, a 72-year-old shelter had died in the Italian city of Milan.
In Germany not yet heat deaths have been reported, however, the people suffering in this country under the extremely high temperatures. At the Ironman in Frankfurt, the US is collapsing-American runner Sarah True on the last Kilometer. In Hamburg, 24 runners ended up in the hospital – they had participated in sweltering heat on a half marathon.
As heat is detrimental to the body
Heat load on the cardiovascular System, because the body needs to keep its own temperature constant. Not so easy when the outside temperatures reach in Germany in these days, even the 40-degree mark. It’s not only old and sick people, but it can also cause seemingly Fit complaints.
In the case of several diseases, the symptoms worsen at high temperatures, such as diseases of the respiratory system include. Because with the temperatures, the ozone values rise, which is particularly asthmatics to feel.
The reasons for a heat-related fatality were most often in a lack of adaptability of the body, says Charité-doctor Christian Witt recently the "Tagesspiegel". "Older people can adapt were not so good to heat and extreme weather, such as young people."
More than 6000 heat deaths in the summers of 2006 and 2015
With an estimated 7600 deaths in the 2003 heat wave was most severe consequences in the period from 2001 to 2015, reported recently scientists in the "Bundesgesundheitsblatt". For the summer of 2018, no nation-wide evaluations are still alone for Berlin experts but of about 490 deaths.
In the heat-summers 2006 and 2015, around 6200 or 6100 people from the base have died according to the calculations, in the whole country. Co-author Matthias an der Heiden of the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin said the German press Agency: "You can see that especially in the age groups 75 to 84 and over 85 years, there is a particular risk." With a recent increase of deaths in Germany due to the June heat was to be expected.
- This happens when the Extreme heat in your body
It becomes dangerous in the case of prolonged heat
Individual hot days are the analyses according to the scientists, less of a fatal risk is dangerous, it will be explained from several hot days in a row, to the Gentiles. From weekly average temperatures of 20 degrees, day and night values factored in, would be systematically observed more deaths.
Such warm weeks had been observed in the past decades, significantly more frequently, – said in the study. The Trend will " probably in the course of the climate warming will continue;and possibly verschärfen".
Hands in the cool water – so you can help
With prolonged heat, it is becoming more and more difficult to protect from the heat in the building to withdraw, because this is heating up increasingly, said to the Gentiles. "Just people who are not as flexible, for example, bed-ridden – some of which are endangered even more."
It is important that more capable people would get enough support That will bring you drinks or refreshments provides by placing hands or feet in cool water, the scientist. Among the recommendations, even supposedly obvious things like Drinking enough water.
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You should avoid extreme heat
Not only older people suffer from the heat, also Younger to be plagued with temperatures over 30 degrees of circulatory problems, especially if you have too little to drink. Five things you should steer clear of no matter what age, to survive the hot Phase:
1. Hard-to-digest food
The body changes with heat, the blood flow to dissipate the heat better. The skin is then tract a greater supply of blood, other organs – as the stomach-intestinal – less. You can therefore conserve on very hot days, your digestive tract, take only easily digestible food, such as soups, juices, vegetables or green salads.
2. Air conditioning savor until the very last second
Strong temperature changes can cause dizziness and headaches. Who is in the air-conditioned car on the way, should be short off in front of the goal is the cooling, to accustom the body slowly to the outside temperature.
3. Errands at lunch time
Elderly and debilitated people should stay on hot days mainly indoors. If you need to do shopping or other errands, move them in the evening hours. Then the temperatures fall and also the ozone values. It also asthmatics should be aware of.
4. Outdoor Sport between 10 and 19 o’clock
Those who train outside, you should do this on especially hot days preferably in the morning or in the evening. In the course of the day, the temperatures soar and the ozone levels. The body is not trying harder to get in from Jogging prefer Walking or Cycling – and don’t forget the water bottle. Breathable sports wear lets the sweat evaporate faster and cool the skin.
5. Strongly scented perfumes
Perfumes with a strong smell can trigger on hot days, headaches. Fragrances come loose in the heat faster than cold. In the case of smell-sensitive people, this can lead to complaints. You prefer to use unscented Deodorants.
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Mortality figures are only estimated
Why is the number of heat deaths does not specify exactly, but only estimate? As Matthias an der Heiden explains, Doctors can provide heat as a cause of death, in fact, the will, but only very rarely. The scientists are therefore analysing the mortality figures, with a view to days, where significantly more people are dying than usual. By means of a mathematical model, you have to search systematically for Correlations of the numbers between high temperatures and increased Mortality.
As in the "Bundesgesundheitsblatt" means, were six of the eleven most extreme heat waves in the period 1950 to 2015 after the year 2000. A uniform Definition, what is the duration of a heat wave, not give it. To assess the Severity, apply heat-related deaths as a key size.