WeeklySA_AdminGLOOMY SPECTRE:More than half a million cases of fatal strokes in 2019 alone attributed to extreme temperatures fuelled by climate change…
By Monk Nkomo
Extreme temperatures have adversely affected human health in recent years and may be responsible for millions of stroke deaths throughout the world every year.
These climate changes may also be linked to growing death and disability from stroke in regions around the world, according to a new study published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, on Wednesday. The study was conducted in 200 countries.
Researchers found over three decades that ‘non-optimal’ temperatures, those above or below temperatures associated with the lowest death rates, were increasingly linked to death and disability due to stroke.
The study revealed that in 2019, there were 521 031 stroke deaths linked to non-optimal temperatures. There were also 9,4 million disability -adjusted life years due to stroke linked to non-optimal temperatures. Disability-adjusted life years are the number of years of life lost due to premature death and years lived with illness.
Stroke is rated as a disease of immense public health importance and the second leading cause of death in the world with an estimated annual mortality rate of 5,5 million . The disease, which also has serious economic and social consequences, occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked by a clot or tear in a blood vessel.
Stroke is increasingly becoming a major public health issue among adults, especially in developing countries like South Africa. In South Africa, stroke is the second highest cause of mortality after HIV/AIDS and is among the top ten leading cause of long-term disability, accounting for 25,000 deaths a year and 95 000 years lived with disability, according statistics from BMC Public Health Journal.
The latest study does not prove that climate change causes stroke. It only showed an association. The study also did not examine other risk factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels.
‘’ When looking at low temperatures compared to high temperatures, they found that 474,002 of the total deaths were linked to low temperatures.’’
Lead researcher Dr Quan Cheng, of Xiangya Hospital Central South University in Changsha in China, said dramatic temperature changes in recent years had affected human health and caused widespread concern.
‘’Our study found that these changing temperatures may increase the burden of stroke worldwide, especially in older population and areas with more health care disparities.’’
Researchers found that the majority of these strokes were due to lower than optimal temperatures, however, they also found an increase in strokes tied to higher than optimal temperatures. With lower temperatures, a person’s blood vessels could constrict, increasing blood pressure. High blood pressure was a risk factor for stroke. Higher temperatures could cause dehydration, affecting cholesterol levels and resulting in slower blood flow, factors that can also lead to stroke.
For the study, which was supported by the Hunan Youth Science and Technology Project, researchers looked at 30 years of health records for more than 200 countries and territories. They examined the number of stroke deaths and the burden of stroke-related disability due to non-optimal temperatures. They then divided the data to look at different regions, countries and territories. They also looked at age groups and genders.
Researchers found that the rate of death from stroke from temperature changes for male participants was 7.7 per 100,000 compared to 5.9 per 100,000 for female participants.
When looking at regions, central Asia had the highest death rate for stroke linked to non-optimal temperatures with 18 per 100,000. At the national level, North Macedonia had the highest death rate with 33 per 100,000.
“More research is needed to determine the impact of temperature change on stroke and to target solutions to address health inequalities,” Cheng said. “Future research should aim to reduce this threat by finding effective health policies that address potential causes of climate change, such as the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and industrial processes.”
Reacting to the study, Dr Mary Rice, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School who did not work on the new study, told CNN its findings were significant.
“I really think that group did a very nice job of taking a global approach looking at historic data and to draw attention to a health issue that I think it’s not really getting a lot of attention,” said Rice. “The total burden of people who died from strokes from temperature is actually a very large number.”
Heatwaves: How to stay cool
What’s the best advice for staying safe during a heatwave?
To protect yourself during a heatwave, you should:
• Move to the coolest room in the home, especially at night.
• If it is not possible to keep your home cool, spend 2-3 hours of the day in a cool place (such as an airconditioned public building).
• Avoid going outside during the hottest time of the day.
• Avoid strenuous physical activity if you can. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the morning between 04:00 and 07:00.
• Stay in the shade.
• Do not leave children or animals in parked vehicles.
How do I keep my body cool during a heatwave?
Keep the body cool and hydrated by taking cool showers or baths during a heatwave. You can also use cold packs and wraps, towels, sponging, and foot baths to keep cool. Wear light, loose-fitting clothes of natural materials.
If you go outside, wear a wide-brimmed hat or cap and sunglasses. Use light bed linen and sheets, and no cushions, to avoid heat accumulation. Drink regularly, but avoid alcohol and too much caffeine and sugar. Eat small meals and eat more often. Avoid foods that are high in protein.
What should I do if I feel unwell during a heatwave?
If you feel dizzy, weak, anxious or have intense thirst and headache during a heatwave, it is best to move to a cool place as soon as possible and measure your body temperature. Drink some water or fruit juice to rehydrate.
Rest immediately in a cool place if you have painful muscular spasms (particularly in the legs, arms or abdomen), and drink oral rehydration solutions containing electrolytes. Medical attention is needed if heat cramps last more than 1 hour. Consult your doctor if you feel unusual symptoms or if symptoms persist.
If one of your family members or people you assist presents hot dry skin and delirium, convulsions and/or unconsciousness, call a doctor/ambulance immediately. While waiting for help, move the person to a cool place, put him or her in a horizontal position and elevate legs and hips, remove clothing and initiate external cooling, for example, by placing cold packs on the neck, axillae and groin, fanning continuously and spraying the skin with water at 25–30 °C. Measure the body temperature. Do not give acetylsalicylic acid or paracetamol. Position an unconscious person on his or her side.
How do I keep my home cool during a heatwave?
During a heatwave you should aim to keep your living space cool. Check the room temperature between 08:00 and 10:00, at 13:00 and at night after 22:00. Ideally, the room temperature should be kept below 32 °C during the day and 24 °C during the night. This is especially important for infants or adults over the age of 60 or who have chronic health conditions.
At night and early morning when the outside temperature is lower, open all the windows and shutters in your home. During the day, close the windows and shutters (if available), especially those facing the sun during the day. Turn off artificial lighting and as many electrical devices as possible. Hang shades, draperies, awnings or louvers on windows that receive morning or afternoon sun. Hang wet towels to cool down the room air. Note that the humidity of the air increases at the same time.
If your residence is air conditioned, close the doors and windows and conserve electricity not needed to keep you cool, to ensure that power remains available and reduce the chance of a community-wide outage. Electric fans may provide relief, but when the temperature is above 35 °C, may not prevent heat-related illness. It is important to drink fluids.
