Yeditepe University Kosuyolu Hospital Chest Diseases specialist Dr. Instructor U. Seha Akduman talked about the things to be considered in increasing air temperatures.
These days when the heat of the century is experienced seriously affect people of all age groups from 7 to 77. Pointing out that overcooling the environments to reduce this effect also affects health negatively, Chest Diseases specialist Dr. Instructor U. Seha Akduman pointed out that sudden temperature changes, such as entering a very hot environment or vice versa, affect patients with lung problems such as COPD and asthma more. For this reason, he said that the environment should not be cooled below 20 degrees.
Noting that hot and humid weather negatively affects our general health, it is necessary to pay attention to the solutions we have developed to get rid of it. Instructor U. Seha Akduman said that sudden temperature changes above 6 degrees suppress the respiratory system and immune system.
Stating that sudden temperature changes affect everyone due to physiology, especially people with chronic lung diseases such as COPD and asthma are more affected by this situation. Instructor U. Seha Akduman said, “These sudden temperature changes invite many problems from drying the skin to muscle aches, from sinusitis to asthma attacks.”
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The body is stressed
Explaining that when entering an air-conditioned environment from hot air, the body gets stressed because it has to adapt itself to this change. Inst. U. Akduman said, “Due to this difference, our immune system is directly affected and diseases increase after sudden weather changes. Viral infections are more common. Asthma causes acute attacks in those with sinusitis problems. At the same time, care should be taken in the vehicle, especially on long journeys. We encounter cases that are sick when they travel with 16-17 degrees and return. For this reason, people with underlying chronic diseases should not be in very low-temperature environments against attacks and infections.” warned.
The temperature should be raised gradually
Saying that the temperature should be changed gradually, Dr. Instructor U. Akduman continued his words as follows:
“It is necessary to pay attention to this when cooling both common areas such as shopping centers and hospitals, as well as workplaces and houses. In addition, heat intolerance occurs when switching to a hot environment after working in air-conditioned environments for a long time. It may be accompanied by weakness, exhaustion, dizziness, fatigue, and difficulty in breathing.
Increased humidity risk for allergy sufferers
Reminding that house mites and mold fungi reproduce very quickly with humidity increasing with temperature, Dr. Instructor U. Akduman said, “Especially mold fungus increases the complaints in patients with respiratory allergy, and asthma control may deteriorate due to allergies. In poorly ventilated air-conditioned environments, coughing may occur as a result of the presence of allergens and entering a high humidity environment, complaints such as shortness of breath, runny nose, and tearing due to postnasal drip may be experienced. There may be a need for the use of short-acting medicine, which we call rescue medicine. Therefore, patients with shortness of breath, cough and increased sputum should be especially careful. made the statement.
Possible attacks affect the course of the disease
Underlining that every attack that can be experienced especially in asthma and COPD patients will adversely affect the course of the disease, Dr. Instructor U. Akduman said, “Actually, each attack in COPD causes some lung loss and weakening of lung functions. At the same time, each asthma or COPD attack is a precursor to the next attack. Therefore, the most important issue for us is to reduce the frequency of attacks. This is the main purpose of measures such as vaccines and protection from allergens.
About the measures to be taken against all these negativities that may be experienced, Yeditepe University Koşuyolu Hospital Chest Diseases specialist Dr. Instructor U. Seha Akduman made the following suggestions:
“First of all, they should definitely not go out between 10:00 and 15:00 in extreme heat. You should take care to use your medications regularly in temperatures above normal, pay attention to fluid intake, and stay away from supercooled places. If it is necessary to go out from an air-conditioned environment, the air conditioner should be turned off beforehand to adapt to the outside temperature. When coming from outside, the air conditioner should not be turned on immediately. Despite all these, if there is an attack, rescue drugs should be used. Those who need rescue medication more than twice a week and if cough attacks and shortness of breath do not subside, should definitely consult their doctor.”
Günceleme: 21/07/2023 13:11