Heatstroke: What is it, how does it occur, and how to prevent it?

[webfact]

 

With the mercury rising as the hot season arrives in Thailand, health authorities have begun warning people to beware of heatstroke.

 

The dangers of this condition were underlined when high-profile political figure Chonsawat Asavahame was rushed to hospital with heatstroke symptoms on Thursday. The 54-year-old died in ICU the following morning.

 

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who was a close friend of Chonsawat, attributed the death to heart failure. Heatstroke can increase stress on the heart to the point of cardiac failure. 

 

The Samut Prakan politician had collapsed during practice for a car race in Buri Ram.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/heatstroke-what-is-it-how-does-it-occur-and-how-to-prevent-it/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-04-03

 

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[nigelforbes]

The danger lies not just in the temperature but in the wet bulb temperature. High temperature alone is not a big issue but when the humidity level is factored in, high risk exists at far lower temperatures which most people wouldn't normally consider dangerous. It's worth understanding the issue:

 

https://research.noaa.gov/article/ArtMID/587/ArticleID/2621/Dangerous-humid-heat-extremes-occurring-decades-before-expected#:~:text=Around a wet-bulb temperature,F (26°C).

[scubascuba3]

1 hour ago, nigelforbes said:

The danger lies not just in the temperature but in the wet bulb temperature. High temperature alone is not a big issue but when the humidity level is factored in, high risk exists at far lower temperatures which most people wouldn't normally consider dangerous. It's worth understanding the issue:

 

https://research.noaa.gov/article/ArtMID/587/ArticleID/2621/Dangerous-humid-heat-extremes-occurring-decades-before-expected#:~:text=Around a wet-bulb temperature,F (26°C).

Interesting. A couple weeks ago it went up a level with heat and humidity for a few days, really noticeable, during our usual fast 100km cycle a few of us were really feeling it, heart not recovering as quick as usual, maybe wet bulb temperature 

[nigelforbes]

23 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Interesting. A couple weeks ago it went up a level with heat and humidity for a few days, really noticeable, during our usual fast 100km cycle a few of us were really feeling it, heart not recovering as quick as usual, maybe wet bulb temperature 

This is new to me also. I'm used to high peak temperatures but in a dry climate, Of late, even high 20's low 30's have seemed almost unbearable at times. I've read that this aspect represents high risk to the food supply chain in future years because agricultural workers will be forced to work restricted hours.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

With the mercury rising as the hot season arrives in Thailand, health authorities have begun warning people to beware of heatstroke.

Stay out of the direct sunlight, stay in a well ventilated area and drink lots of fluids [preferably healthy ones]

[TimeMachine]

1 hour ago, nigelforbes said:

This is new to me also. I'm used to high peak temperatures but in a dry climate, Of late, even high 20's low 30's have seemed almost unbearable at times. I've read that this aspect represents high risk to the food supply chain in future years because agricultural workers will be forced to work restricted hours.

 Australians will soon be working 4 day work weeks. But we don't produce anything much useful except greedy self righteous politicians so, you know.

[nigelforbes]

Just now, TimeMachine said:

 Australians will soon be working 4 day work weeks. But we don't produce anything much useful except greedy self righteous politicians so, you know.

Brits will be on a 3 day week before long too and they don't produce anything either except a lot of hot air.

[doctormann]

Here's a useful table:

 

[nigelforbes]

23 minutes ago, doctormann said:

Here's a useful table:

 

Excellent, thanks for posting that.

 

FWIW Chiang Mai Province, June through October, sees relative humidity of about 80%, the year round average is about 75%.

 

https://weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-Humidity-perc,mae-rim-chiang-mai-province-th,Thailand

[RichardColeman]

One thing I have learned from living in Thailand is that one good thing can also be a bad thing too.

 

In the morning I can have a nice relaxing cold shower as the piped water is cool

In the evening I cannot have a nice relaxing cool shower as the pipe water is near the temperature of the sun ! 

[RPCVguy]

3 hours ago, doctormann said:

Here's a useful table:

 

 

2 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

Excellent, thanks for posting that.

 

FWIW Chiang Mai Province, June through October, sees relative humidity of about 80%, the year round average is about 75%.

 

https://weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-Humidity-perc,mae-rim-chiang-mai-province-th,Thailand

Doctormann provides a very nice chart that I've not seen before. I like it for posting BOTH ºC & ºF in the headings. I've been using a different one that lists only ºC. It does have an advantage of showing Relative Humidity down to 25%, and giving advice as to how to behave in those conditions.

Nigelforbes added a comment about relative humidity getting very high but it lacks context as to time of day or conditions during June through October. The relative humidity is calculated against the temperature at the moment. High relative humidity is most common just before and after dawn. As the temperature rises, the atmosphere is able to hold 7% more water vapor for each degree Celsius the air warms.

The time when high temperature and humidity is most likely to occur is as the season changes from the hot dry season to the monsoon season. That is when rain, hitting roads, roofs, and other hot surfaces, quickly evaporates off and raises the humidity while still having a hot environment. A few hours of such conditions will kill even the fittest of military persons, the elderly are at risk at lower temperature-humidity conditions.
The 2016 and 2019 El Nino cycles kept the rains from arriving in Thailand until June,and heat had built up in the soil, roads, buildings, etc. etc. Those years we came close to experiencing what has been an annual situation in NW India near its border with Pakistan. Thousands have died during those events. A super such event is described in the opening chapters of the novel "The Ministry for the Future" in which the death toll over a week reached millions due to power grid failure/ A/C failure as the heat dome held sway.

I appreciate the post overall. It is a useful warning that people need to add to their awareness as the climate shifts.

[whiteman]

Heatstroke is a life-threatening condition that happens when your body temperature rises above 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius). It’s usually the result of overexertion in hot, humid conditions. Symptoms can include confusion, seizures or loss of consciousness. Untreated, heatstroke can lead to organ failure, a coma or death.

[whiteman]

• Remain indoors during hot weather
• Wear loose fitting, lightweight clothing in high temperatures
• Drink plenty of fluids
• Protect yourself from sunburn
• Do not leave anyone in a parked car, especially during hot weather
• Rest adequately during long working hours
• Be cautious in hot temperatures if you suffer from any heart or lung diseases

 

Symptoms

Causes

Complications

Complications from heatstroke depend on how long the body has been exposed to hot temperature.

• Vital organ damage, which in severe cases can be permanent
• Death due to multiple organ failure

[whiteman]

Who gets heatstroke?

Anyone can get heatstroke. But infants and the elderly are at especially high risk because their bodies may not be able to regulate temperature effectively. Athletes, soldiers and people with occupations that require physical labor in hot environments are also susceptible to heatstroke.

Other factors that increase your risk of heatstroke include:

• Drinking alcohol.
• Being male.
• Being dehydrated.
• Drugs that affect your body’s ability to regulate temperature, such as diuretics, sedatives, tranquilizers, or heart and blood pressure medications.
• Having certain diseases that affect your ability to sweat, such as cystic fibrosis.
• Having certain medical conditions, such as a sleep disorder or problems with your heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, thyroid or blood vessels.
• Wearing heavy or tight clothing, such as protective gear.
• Having a high fever.
• Having obesity.
• A past history of heatstroke.
• Poor physical conditioning or not being used to hot conditions.
•  

[billd766]

As I write this at 1 pm on 3rd April the temperature indoors is 32.3 compared with 36.8 outside. The humidity is 34% indoors and 27% outdoors and I have a wall fan running pointed at me.

 

I am drinking lots of cold water from the fridge with orange flavoured rehydration salts, about 3 litres every 24 hours.

 

I am quite comfortable at the moment and I stay indoors after around 10:30 am until around 5:30 pm.

[RPCVguy]

A link that shows a related index (The Misery Index) is available at
• https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/overlay=misery_index/orthographic=-265.14,13.53,2340
 

The data is from global satellite readings and maps perceived air temperature as combination of heat index and wind chill. Note that there is a control panel accessed by clicking on the word "earth" located at the bottom left of the image.

[Tropposurfer]

Take head from the impeccably dressed Noel Coward;

 

 

[scubascuba3]

2 hours ago, billd766 said:

As I write this at 1 pm on 3rd April the temperature indoors is 32.3 compared with 36.8 outside. The humidity is 34% indoors and 27% outdoors and I have a wall fan running pointed at me.

 

I am drinking lots of cold water from the fridge with orange flavoured rehydration salts, about 3 litres every 24 hours.

 

I am quite comfortable at the moment and I stay indoors after around 10:30 am until around 5:30 pm.

Do you beer it up after 5.30pm? BTW your Humidity values look way too low, probably need a new device

[John Drake]

It's 39 outside this afternoon near Salaya. But it doesn't feel too bad. I didn't even need to check the humidity (36 percent) to know it was low today. That is what makes the difference. And today was okay. The last few days have been cooler but much more humid (mid 60 percent) and they felt terrible. Still it's easy to get fooled in dry heat and get overcome before you know what hit you. I think it makes a difference if you were raised in a hot and humid environment. I grew up where there were once a string of 42 consecutive days where the temperature was over 100 F and often had the high hit around 107-110 (that's the record but a score or more of 100+ days are the rule). It was humid, too. You don't go outside on hot humid days. You don't work outside on hot humid days. And you don't exercise outside on hot humid days. I good indicator is when the asphalt on the roads is coming off and sticking to your shoe. 

[billd766]

3 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Do you beer it up after 5.30pm? BTW your Humidity values look way too low, probably need a new device

I have only one alcoholic drink a year on New Years Eve as I quit drinking alcohol 3 years ago. I used to drink soda water with ice or Coca Cola but now it is around 3 litres of water a day, mixed with orange flavoured Oral Rehydration Salts on the hospital doctors orders.

 

My device is only 3 months old and compares favourably with at least 2 other websites.

 

There has been 1.3 mm of rain here in rural Kamphaeng Phet since the beginning of this year.

 

What do you use to measure the humidity, and when was the last time that it was calibrated?

Edited April 3, 2023 by billd766
added extra text

[scubascuba3]

4 minutes ago, billd766 said:

I have only one alcoholic drink a year on New Years Eve.

 

My device is only 3 months old and compares favourably with at least 2 other websites.

 

There has been 1.3 mm of rain here in rural Kamphaeng Phet since the beginning of this year.

 

What do you use to measure the humidity, and when was the last time that it was calibrated?

I have a Xiaomi air purifier, a month old, it showed 75% humidity when my cheap lazada 100 baht special showed 55%, 75% was comparable with forecast and friends reading

[billd766]

15 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

I have a Xiaomi air purifier, a month old, it showed 75% humidity when my cheap lazada 100 baht special showed 55%, 75% was comparable with forecast and friends reading

try setting it up if possible along these lines.

 

https://www.wikihow.com/Read-Humidity

 

My system is a small dedicated weather centre which reads the inside and outside the temperature using an outside wireless sender. It also reads the barometric pressure using hG inches of mercury which I then convert to hpa/mB.

 

It is something that is dedicated to weather and not simply an air purifier. I trust my weather centre rather than something which has nothing to do with the weather.

 

It compares with the TMD weather centre in Kamphaeng Phet which is 6 metres lower than my site and my site is 156 metres above sea level where it is calibrated from.

 

https://novalynx.com/store/pc/Barometric-Pressure-Table-d5.htm

[Moonlover]

7 hours ago, billd766 said:

As I write this at 1 pm on 3rd April the temperature indoors is 32.3 compared with 36.8 outside. The humidity is 34% indoors and 27% outdoors and I have a wall fan running pointed at me.

 

I am drinking lots of cold water from the fridge with orange flavoured rehydration salts, about 3 litres every 24 hours.

 

I am quite comfortable at the moment and I stay indoors after around 10:30 am until around 5:30 pm.

Wise precautions, especially as we age. I like to have an hour's walk every day, but I'm having to get out earlier each day as the heat rises. I'm looking forward to the rain!

[billd766]

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

Wise precautions, especially as we age. I like to have an hour's walk every day, but I'm having to get out earlier each day as the heat rises. I'm looking forward to the rain!

Me too.

[Damrongsak]

12 hours ago, RPCVguy said:

...  The time when high temperature and humidity is most likely to occur is as the season changes from the hot dry season to the monsoon season. That is when rain, hitting roads, roofs, and other hot surfaces, quickly evaporates off and raises the humidity while still having a hot environment. A few hours of such conditions will kill even the fittest of military persons, the elderly are at risk at lower temperature-humidity conditions. 

...

My son had a close call when he was doing the final exercise at U.S Marine Corps boot camp ("The Crucible"). The weather was in the high 90's (F) and it was in a swampy area by the ocean with a lot of rain in August.  It was called a black flag day when exercises were restricted except for the Crucible. 

 

He fell out of the exercise and spent a few days in the hospital.  I believe it was Hyponatremia, low sodium in the blood.  Someone forgot to salt the drinking water.  Distance runners have died from the same thing.

 

[John Drake]

40 at my house right now. But 28 percent humidity. And this is much better than 33 or 34 with 60+ percent humidity, which I had several days ago. Wouldn't want to go walking without a hat. But putting one on, the heat is not really that bad. Too bad people don't wear pith helmets anymore. They're perfect for this weather.

[StayinThailand2much]

On 4/3/2023 at 3:08 AM, nigelforbes said:

The danger lies not just in the temperature but in the wet bulb temperature.

True. I travelled to Darwin, Alice Springs, Cairns, etc., where temperatures were higher than in Thailand, and the sunshine more intense. - Still it was pleasant to me. Then, coming back to Asia, I could barely stand the humidity and heat in KL and Bangkok, even though the temperature was lower...

Edited April 4, 2023 by StayinThailand2much

[h90]

On 4/3/2023 at 12:18 PM, whiteman said:

Who gets heatstroke?

Anyone can get heatstroke. But infants and the elderly are at especially high risk because their bodies may not be able to regulate temperature effectively. Athletes, soldiers and people with occupations that require physical labor in hot environments are also susceptible to heatstroke.

Other factors that increase your risk of heatstroke include:

• Drinking alcohol.
• Being male.
• Being dehydrated.
• Drugs that affect your body’s ability to regulate temperature, such as diuretics, sedatives, tranquilizers, or heart and blood pressure medications.
• Having certain diseases that affect your ability to sweat, such as cystic fibrosis.
• Having certain medical conditions, such as a sleep disorder or problems with your heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, thyroid or blood vessels.
• Wearing heavy or tight clothing, such as protective gear.
• Having a high fever.
• Having obesity.
• A past history of heatstroke.
• Poor physical conditioning or not being used to hot conditions.
•  

Well athletes should know their body and the signs of it + have a greater fitness. But I know specially in competitions and specially when the middle age men takes some chemical help to improve their marathon times....

[h90]

On 4/3/2023 at 6:49 AM, TimeMachine said:

 Australians will soon be working 4 day work weeks. But we don't produce anything much useful except greedy self righteous politicians so, you know.

That is called service industry.....we cut ourself the hair, have financial products and from the profit we buy what we need from China which we lecture about their CO2 production.
I am Austrian but politic wise we are not very different...

[3NUMBAS]

On 4/2/2023 at 11:49 PM, TimeMachine said:

 Australians will soon be working 4 day work weeks. But we don't produce anything much useful except greedy self righteous politicians so, you know.

and people living below the      breadline ,2 million