The sun is scorching and the heat is hard to dissipate. Let's talk about how the elderly can prevent heat stroke and hypoglycemia during exercise.

This is the 2646th article of Da Yi Xiao Hu

Heat stroke

Causes of heat stroke during exercise

Normal body temperature is generally around 37℃. When the ambient temperature is lower than body temperature, it is easier to dissipate heat. However, when the ambient temperature is similar to body temperature or even higher than skin temperature, the body has to dissipate heat by evaporating water in the body: sweating and exhaling water vapor. When there is too little water in the body or evaporation of water is difficult to lower the body temperature, it is called "heatstroke".

Generally speaking, the elderly have the illusion that they are afraid of cold but not heat because of their low basal metabolism and low heat production. When resting quietly, the body temperature is provided by the activity of the internal organs, but during exercise, the muscles become the main source of heat production. Therefore, even for the elderly, the heat production increases significantly after exercise, and coupled with the body's reduced ability to regulate temperature and insufficient sweating, they are more susceptible to heat stroke than young people.

Classification and manifestations of heat stroke

Heatstroke is divided into premonitory heatstroke, mild heatstroke and severe heatstroke.

1. Premonitions of heatstroke: In a high temperature environment, symptoms such as headache, dizziness, thirst, sweating, weakness and soreness in the limbs, inattention, and uncoordinated movements may occur.

2. Mild heatstroke: In addition to the symptoms of heatstroke, there is also fever, accompanied by flushed face, heavy sweating, burning skin, or cold and wet limbs, pale face, low blood pressure, and rapid pulse.

3. Severe heat stroke: high fever, muscle cramps, convulsions, syncope, coma, excessive or no sweating, fast heart rate, which can occur quickly. In addition, rhabdomyolysis, acute renal failure, liver failure, DIC or multiple organ failure are also prone to occur, and the mortality rate is high.

On-site disposal

1) First, the patient should be quickly removed from the high temperature environment and allowed to rest in a cool and ventilated place;

2) Drink boiled water or cool drinks in small amounts and multiple times; if the person suffering from heat stroke is sweating profusely, it is best to use light salt water or sports drinks to prevent cramps caused by low salt levels in the blood;

3) Taking Rendan, Shidishui, etc.;

4) Take necessary cooling measures and undress; if the body temperature rises and the face becomes flushed and the skin becomes hot, you can wipe the limbs and face with ice or cold water, but do not wipe the chest and stomach. You can put the whole bottle of iced drink in the armpit or thigh root (groin);

5) If the following symptoms occur: cold and wet limbs, pale face, decreased blood pressure, rapid pulse, convulsions, or confusion, call 120 immediately for medical treatment.

Ways to prevent heat stroke

1) Eat a light diet and drink a small amount of water frequently before and during exercise. Drinks such as mung bean soup, chrysanthemum tea, boiled water, and light salt water are recommended.

2) Some people believe that hot water is more thirst-quenching, and it is OK to choose room temperature drinks during exercise, and do not drink a lot of iced drinks;

3) Avoid exercising at noon in summer and choose a cool and ventilated place to exercise;

4) Wear breathable, light-colored cotton clothing, a sun hat, and apply sunscreen;

5) Carry heatstroke prevention and cooling medicines such as Rendan, Qingliang Oil, and Shidi Shui with you;

6) The elderly, frail people, and those with hypertension or heart and lung diseases should not engage in outdoor sports on hot days.

7) Be alert to the symptoms that may indicate heat stroke: Elderly people may have lower sensitivity to temperature, thirst and sweating. In hot weather, they may suddenly experience headaches, dizziness, weakness and soreness in the limbs, inattention, and uncoordinated movements. Even if they do not experience heat, thirst or excessive sweating, they should be alert to the occurrence of heat stroke.

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia during exercise is a condition in which people with insufficient glycogen reserves in the body experience depletion of blood sugar reserves during or after long-term intense exercise, and are unable to maintain the body's energy supply.

reason

Long-term endurance sports such as marathons, long-distance swimming, cycling, etc. Elderly people have decreased blood sugar regulation due to the use of hypoglycemic drugs.

Specific manifestations

1) People with mild hypoglycemia may feel hungry, extremely tired, weak in the limbs, and dizzy.

2) Patients with moderate hypoglycemia may experience confusion, slurred speech, dizziness in the limbs, palpitations, pale complexion, cold sweats, etc.

3) Severe hypoglycemia may cause convulsions, coma, shortness of breath, dilated pupils, shortness of breath, irritability, increased blood pressure or no significant change, significantly lower blood sugar concentration, and fast and weak pulse during examination.

deal with

1) Stop exercising immediately and rest on the spot;

2) Eating foods with a high glycemic index, such as high-sugar fruit juice, sports drinks, candies, sweet biscuits, etc.

3) If the person is unconscious and unable to eat, do not force-feed or force-swallow the food to avoid suffocation. Call 120 immediately for emergency medical treatment.

prevention

1) Eat a small amount of carbohydrate-containing food before exercise, such as steamed bread, bread, biscuits, etc. Avoid exercising on an empty stomach, especially in the morning before breakfast.

2) When participating in long-distance endurance sports, you need to replenish sugar during the journey. Middle-aged and elderly people who go out for a walk often carry some snacks with them in case they get hungry on the road, so as to avoid hypoglycemia. Diabetic patients need to bring some snacks with a low glycemic index, such as corn, apples, yogurt, etc.

3) If you find yourself feeling hungry, weak in the limbs, or sweating, take a rest immediately and eat the food you brought with you or drink a sugary drink. Once the discomfort disappears, try to go home and rest. Do not force yourself to continue exercising.

Tips:

Exercise during the epidemic:

1. Avoid going to crowded sports venues, and still maintain a certain social distance of about 1 meter during exercise.

2. Avoid wearing a mask to prevent accidents such as hypoxia.

Glycemic index: It is an indicator of the degree to which a food causes a rise in blood sugar in the human body after being eaten. The higher the glycemic index of a food, the faster the blood sugar rises after eating it. Diabetic patients should choose foods with a low glycemic index to help control blood sugar.

Low glycemic foods: whole grains, sugar-free lotus root powder, vegetables (except carrots), mushrooms, beans and bean products, some fruits (prunes, apples, pears, oranges, peaches, cherries, grapefruits, strawberries, cherries, kumquats, papayas, etc.), milk, black tea, sugar-free yogurt, sugar-free soy milk, and shrimp.

Moderate glycemic foods: whole grains, cereals and oatmeal, potatoes, taro, lotus root, burdock, fish, chicken, duck, pork, lamb, beef, crab, cream, condensed milk, pineapple, banana, mango, cantaloupe, kiwi, sucrose, red wine, beer, and cola.

High glycemic foods: white rice, steamed buns, fried dough sticks, glutinous rice, white bread, noodles, popcorn, pork intestines, minced pork, pumpkin, baked potato, watermelon, lychee, longan, pineapple, dates, glucose, white sugar, maltose, orange juice, and honey.

Author: Huang Yuelei, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University

Reviewer: Shen Jun