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Last summer, Italy was the European country with the most victims from the heat, 18,100 out of a total of 61,672, followed by Spain (11,324) and Germany (8,173). These are the data of a study coordinated by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health published in Nature Medicine which reminds us how much the super heat that is felt these days can become insidious and dangerous especially for the elderly who must pay attention to some signals that can raise the level of risk to their health.
Super hot: the risks and warning signs for the elderly
With the super heat arriving in Italy these days, with peak temperatures that could reach 40 degrees, “the elderly run the greatest risks and it is clear that, as has already happened in the past, we expect an increase in hospitalizations in hospital”. Francesco Dentali, president of Fadoi, the Federation of Associations of Hospital Internists Managers who often find themselves in their wards managing elderly patients, made the point. «The elderly are very delicate patients from the point of view of kidney function – says Dentali – If they become dehydrated they run more dangers. The pressure can drop too much and there is the risk of heart failure and hospitalization ». What to do to prevent these situations? In addition to continuous hydration, “during this period of transition from normal temperatures to heat peaks, those who use blood pressure medications should plan an appointment with their family doctor to review the dosage of the medications,” suggests Dentali.
It is important to monitor blood pressure and diuresis
The internist doctor is worried about the effects of the super heat of these days: «After Covid we see increasingly fragile elderly patients, whose decompensation is labile and therefore small things are enough to put their body in difficulty. This is why we expect a wave of accesses to the emergency room in the next few days and, but we really hope not, hospitalizations with this sketch», explains the president of Fadoi. To deal with the heat, «in addition to the usual behaviors suggested in these cases, drinking and not going out during the hottest hours, those with elderly relatives can monitor blood pressure and diuresis. If the family member reduces diuresis – continues Francesco Dentali – it is a warning sign that something is wrong and it could get worse, if instead he urinates as in the period before the heat then it’s fine ». The summer of 2022 has been the hottest season on record in Europe so far, characterized by an intense series of heat waves, leading to spikes in temperature, drought and fire activity.
The Italian record of deaths in the summer of 2022
According to the study published in Nature Medicine, in the Old Continent the increase in temperatures compared to the averages for the period was around 2 degrees, with peaks in France (+2.43 degrees), Switzerland (+2.30), Italy (+ 2.28), Hungary (+2.13), Spain (+2.11 degrees). As far as the increase in mortality is concerned, however, primacy belongs to Italy. In fact, 18,010 deaths occurred in our country due to heat waves; in Spain 11,324, in Germany 8,173, in France 4,807, in the United Kingdom 3,469. In all European countries, the heat has hit women more (63% of total mortality) and the population over 80 years old. In Italy, in particular, of the 18,010 total deaths, 11,917 occurred in women. As regards age, there were 14,821 deaths in people over 80, 2,326 in people between 65 and 79 and 965 in people under 64. As Europe is ‘a major climate change hotspot, these populations will be increasingly exposed to extreme summer conditions and therefore are expected to experience higher and higher heat-related mortality in the future,’ warn the researchers.