We’re all well aware that our country, and indeed all of Southern Europe in general, is currently experiencing an unprecedented heatwave. This is a very unusual situation that is putting people’s lives at risk.
While many people enjoy the heat, it’s also true that such extreme temperatures can cause serious health problems. Those who work outdoors, such as on construction sites or in the countryside, where specific regulations apply, are particularly affected.
Farm workers must stop working at such hours, and there are specific laws that must be respected even when working on construction sites. The heat can have negative effects on people’s health, as has happened in recent hours in Milan.
Here, a Chinese tourist fainted due to the intense heat while visiting the Duomo. Having reached one of the terraces after climbing several steps, the woman collapsed to the ground and was immediately treated and taken to the hospital with a yellow code.
Unfortunately, the effects of the heat are also being felt by tourists visiting cities of art and beyond these days, with temperatures that truly seem to be relentless in their peaks.
On the next page of our article, we will see what the well-known cardiologist recommends: those taking certain medications should stay away from the sun.
According to cardiologist Antonio Rebuzzi, a professor at the Catholic University of Rome, there are certain categories of people who should stay out of the sun at least during the hottest hours of the day.
As we know, heat causes greater problems for people with existing medical conditions. Extreme heat affects blood pressure, which drops. And one of the groups of people who need to be careful about sun exposure is those taking certain medications to lower their blood pressure.
“Construction site workers, in these extreme temperatures, become dehydrated and are prone to heatstroke. In the grip of the heat, they lose mineral salts, and from a cardiovascular standpoint, this can cause serious arrhythmias,” Rebuzzi stated in an interview with Adnkronos Salute.
Rebuzzi then emphasized some specific drug classes: “People taking beta-blockers, for example for ischemic heart disease, or ACE inhibitors, used to treat hypertension, heart failure, and kidney disease, must also be very careful,” Rebuzzi further specified.
“These therapies lower blood pressure: if these patients expose themselves to the sun and heat, the heat-induced vasodilation can further reduce blood pressure,” says the expert, who points out that these low blood pressure situations can cause sudden fainting and illness, also due to very low blood pressure. It’s absolutely essential to follow the experts’ advice to avoid unpleasant side effects. It’s obviously important for all groups of people to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
