With the great heat, the mountain holiday becomes a time to get back in shape, rest and do the right physical activity, escaping from the heat of the cities. But attention is needed, especially when taking the classic one or two day “trip”, remembering that the cardiovascular system needs to adapt to sudden changes in altitude, especially if cardiovascular risk factors such as blood pressure or cholesterol do not are under control, or perhaps acute episodes have already occurred. Thanks to the indications of ALICe. Italia Onlus, the Association for the Fight against Cerebral Stroke, here are some useful tips.
Don’t miss the water
Remember that you need to stock up on the right amount of water for the trip you want to do and carefully evaluate the refueling points, drinking fountains, shelters or other, present on the route. Proper hydration is necessary for maintain dynamic balance between the intake and loss of water, especially during exposure to the strong rays of the mountain sun, failing which there may be an important health risk, such as to lead to insolation or, in the worst case, to heat stroke.
Water, drunk in small sips at frequent intervals without waiting to be thirsty, is what our body needs to maintain a good state of health, an irreplaceable element in vital processes of hydration and thermoregulation. Why can dehydration be dangerous? Blood tends to be less fluid and struggles to circulate in the small blood vessels of the brain and heart. Add to this the lack of oxygen, the risk increases for those who have already been affected by stroke or who have cardio-cerebrovascular risk factors.
Obviously, the reduction of oxygen in the air that you inhale certainly does not improve the situation. Although it is known that the higher you climb, the more oxygen in the air is reduced. Sometimes we forget that 30% oxygen is already lacking at 3000 meters, an altitude that is at risk for the elderly, often suffering from chronic diseases such as arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, previous stroke or myocardial infarction in drug treatment .
For this reason, it is always important to inquire well with your doctor on the behaviors to be followed and on any development of treatments that you are following. Finally, do not forget that even if with the sun shining you can have a pleasant warmth even at high altitudes, especially for the elderly, the thermoregulation may not be perfect. For this you must always be prepared, considering that sudden atmospheric phenomena can occur with rapid lowering of the temperature even by ten or more degrees. In short: equip yourself properly before the trip.
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