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Heatstroke Causes

Heatstroke: Causes


Top Causes

1. Prolonged exposure to high temperature

When the body is exposed to heat, it tends to cool down by sweating, which is a natural phenomenon. However, excessive sweating can lead to loss of fluids and dehydration resulting in decreased sweating, which, of course is the first signal to heat exhaustion that might progress to heatstroke, if ignored.

2. Alcohol use and abuse

Alcohol abuse leads to increased sweating and dehydration. If you do not stop drinking and ignores the loss of fluids from the body, this can lead to heat exhaustion to heatstroke. The onset of heatstroke is marked by cessation in sweating, increased body temperature, rapid and shallow breathing, rapid heart beat, confusion, disorientation, seizure, and fainting. If not all, one of these symptoms is sure to be observed as a result of heat stroke.

3. Less intake of water

Heat exhaustion is observed when one fails to drink enough water to replenish the lost fluids. When body loses fluid, you need to cope with the lost fluids by drinking lots of water. If not this will affect your blood circulation leading to a condition that can even turn fatal. Not drinking enough water during dog days in summer is a major reason for the death reports, and this is only going to increase year after year if proper awareness is not given to the public.

4. Dehydration

When you do heavy physical work, you lose lots of fluids from your body as all the muscles are put to higher degree of work out. Another situation where your muscles will be put to heavy workouts are when you do exercises and aerobics. All you need to do is simply keep a bottle of water near you and drink as you workout your muscles.

5. Air-conditioner

When you are inside an air-conditioned room for a long time, your body tries to keep the body temperature from cooling down by burning down energy, a process that releases heat. This heat is not observable as you do not sweat, but still you are silently being dehydrated. This is the reason why they serve you with water and ice-creams while traveling in an international flight for long hours. Therefore, this is mandatory that you replenish your body with water.

6. Heart disease

Having a heart disease is a stress to the heart if you do not drink enough water to maintain the body’s water balance for efficient circulation. When efficient blood circulation fails, there is a loss of fluid and individuals collapse. You should remember that exercise is good for patients with some kinds of heart disease, if done enough without exertion. Heart patients should also see to that they keep the body water balance at a very good level, so that when an exacerbation of their heart condition occurs, the body will be able to cope up with the stress and avoid leading to heat stroke.

7. Use and abuse of medications

The normal use of medicines under a medical condition as prescribed by the doctor causes an increase in loss of heat from the body, which might as a result land up in dehydration. This condition worsens when medicines are abused and a over dosage can turn fatal because of heat stroke. This is the reason why most of the doctors advise you to drink lots of water when you are under medications, especially diuretics.

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