The province lives this weekend its first days of extreme temperatures of summer.The more than 40 degrees that were supported yesterday at certain times of the day and locations, such as the capital or the countryside, and which will be increased today, when the highest peak is expected with maximum temperatures of 44 degrees, they can increase theConsultations in the emergency services of hospitals and primary care centers for insolation, dehydration or heat blows.A pathology, the latter, less common, but very serious, which presents a mortality of between 50 and 70%, according to the head of the Emergency Department of the Hospital of Valme, Cristóbal Marchante.

The heat stroke is the maximum exponent of the pathologies that a person can suffer for being exposed to extreme temperatures and is a serious risk for the life of those who suffer from it.This situation occurs when the organism rises a lot the temperature and can even exceed 40 degrees.But, before reaching this extreme situation, specialists warn that symptoms can occur that can sometimes be confused with minor pathologies and that it is even possible that in their most banal version, such as the fact of suffering cramps,"They go unnoticed," says Dr. Marchante.

"It is necessary to differentiate between the pathology associated with heat, which goes from the reacudization of chronic pathologies, in which sweating is compromised, less serious heat exhaustion pictures due to loss of water and salts, and the heat stroke, which happens when our body loses control of body temperature committing the central nervous system and cardiovascular with alteration of cell function and damage to tissues that, if it does not revert, lead to multiorgan and death failure, "says the doctor ofEmergency.

The most vulnerable people of suffering are children under five years old and people over 65, as well as pregnant women and chronic patients, who, according to the urgenciologist, can see their pathologies aggravated in summer.

On the frequency of the care of these episodes related to heat at the Valme Hospital, Dr. Marchante points out that "it is difficult to know precisely the number of patients treated by heat associated with heat since most of them are recorded as reacudizationsof previous pathologies, especially in polymedicated elders. ""Anyway, it is a relatively frequent pathology, especially in the first days of high and maintained temperatures in young people who do work or sport at high temperatures that lose water and salt through sweat," he adds.

Along these lines, and in order to remind the population howSocial networks to remember what are the keys to identify when you are facing a possible serious affectation for a continuous exposure to high temperatures.

Dr. José Manuel López is a specialist of the Emergency Department and ICU in this center in the capital and points out that the majority profile of the patient that usually presents a symptomatology associated with heat corresponds, above all, with older people."We also receive cases of children, but it is less frequent," he says.

The succession of facts describing the patients who reach the emergency consultations of the hospital go through "dizziness, preso -opal episodes without reaching the loss of knowledge, decrease in tension or dehydration.""Fortunately, what are heat blows we see less. These are reached when there is hyperthermia, the patient comes with fever and temperature higher than 38-39 gados or an alteration of the level of consciousness with confusion and lethargling is presented," he clarifiesthe.

The doctor warns that, although the headache and the initial drowsiness are common and can generate confusion, at the neurological level it is necessary to remain vigilant in the face of a possible decrease in the level of consciousness."That is why it is important to be alert and vigilant to control the evolution and consult, in case it is necessary to a specialist because if these circumstances occur after long exhibitions to the sun and not remedy in time it may be that they go to somethingmore serious as the syncope or heat stroke and, even, to multiorgan failure and the death of the person, "he says.

As the Emergency Chief of Valme also pointed out, Dr. López emphasized, likeheat."The patient at first justifies it with anything else and it is usual to not think that it is of heat. If they occur after long exhibitions to the sun, assistance to hospital emergency services is recommended not to trigger in more serious things andBe caught on time, "warns the urgenciologist.

Likewise, the doctor gives some keys on how to act in front of a heat stroke, for which it is essential to reduce the body temperature of the patient until it is between 38 and 39 degrees.To do this, the specialist warns, "it must be placed in the freshest place that can be taken, remove the clothes and try to cool it by cold water compresses. Likewise, he points out that he can also immerse the patient in cold or temperate water directly," butTaking into account that the contrast too fast and excessive with the cold can contract the blood vessels of the skin and stimulate the appearance of chills, which can delay cooling, "he warns.

In any case, the specialists consulted agree that the most important thing in a heat stroke is to try to prevent it. To do this, from the emergency services of the Valme and Victoria Eugenia hospital in Seville it is recommended to drink water and liquids frequently; Do not abuse alcohol, caffeine or sugar; monitor the most vulnerable people (babies and young, elderly and chronic children); remain as long as possible in fresh or heated places cooling every time it is needed; reduce physical activity and avoid outdoor sport in the hottest hours of the day; Use light, baggy clothes allow perspiration and protect the head; Never stay in a parked and closed vehicle; Consult your family doctor before symptoms in relation to heat that last more than 1-2 hours; Make light meals that help replace the loss of salts (salads, fruits, vegetables, juices, etc.) and avoid heavy and/or copious foods; and close the windows and curtains on facades exposed directly to the sun, in addition to opening them at night to facilitate ventilation.

Heat peaks

During 2020, according to data collected by the Andalusian Plan for the prevention of the effects of excessive health temperatures, 102 alerts due to extreme temperatures, concentrated between June 1 and September 15.Fourteen were level 1 (yellow), 23 level 2 (orange) and 65 level 3 (red).These notices mainly affected the provinces of Granada and Jaén (with 44 and 32 days with alert activation, respectively), adding 75% of the total alerts, although notices were also activated in Córdoba (18), Cádiz (5) andHuelva (3).On the contrary, in Almería, Malaga and Seville, as well as the previous year, no alert for extreme temperatures was activated.

Specifically, according to the sources of the Ministry of Health consulted, a total of 892,924 emergencies in Andalusian hospital centers of which 38 were diagnosed as heat stroke and another 263 were due to other pathologies related to the calo.As a consequence, three deaths for heat stroke were recorded, all men between 45 and 50 with exposure prolonged at high temperatures while carrying out work activities.In primary care, including health centers, critical care and emergency devices (DCCU) and other extrahospital assists, other 1,356,357 emergencies were also treated for similar causes, of which 256 (0.02%) were diagnosed asheatstroke.

The same sources emphasize that, compared to previous years, "2020 was the second year with the highest number of alerts due to forecast of extreme temperatures of the historical series, only exceeded by 2017 with 109".

Although there is no unique definition of the term heat wave, the State Metereology Agency (AEMET) considers that this phenomenon occurs when an episode of at least three consecutive days occurs, in which at least 10% of the stations considered registermaximum above the 95% percentile of its daily maximum temperatures series of the months of July and August of the 1971-2000 period.In Seville, according to the AEMET, approximately 60% of the days of July and August are registered maximums above 35ºC and 25% above 38ºC.Therefore, one day with a maximum of 38ºC in Seville, it will be a very hot day, but not enough to be a candidate for heat wave.

According to the National Plan of Prediction and Surveillance of Adverse Meteorological Phenomena of the State Meteorology Agency, the thresholds to activate the notices due to high temperatures depend on the regions, but the yellow goes between 36 and 38 degrees, the orange between 39And the 40s and the Red, indicated during this weekend in the Sevillian countryside, is between 42 and 44.