It is very saddening to hear about young people dying from “heat stroke” and we should try to not only to seek ways to detect and prevent such untimely deaths but especially to try novel approaches in treating those “fallen” victims.
I noticed that many such deaths do precede with splitting headaches, disorientation and nose bleeds. This is perhaps nature of telling us that the person could may not be “dehydrating” as generally belief but could be suffering from brain edema (swelling).
This is when the body having lost alot of salt will initiate its bodily defence mechanism to secrete vasopressin to prevent urinating or even sweating to prevent further loss of salts through these channels. So instead of giving the “heatstroke” potential victim enough electrolytes (salts) to promote sweating, they are given more water and hence their body and particularly their blood vessels will become BLOATED. If you drink two water bottle, about 3 litres, and suffering from water intoxication, preventing sweating and urinating, then your body weight should increase by 3kg. Right?
So nose bleed is a possible first indication that your blood pressure is perhas too high from too much fluid retention. In your brain, it will bloat against an “unexpandable” skull and this will seriously damage your brain tissue. My wife’s friend, Poh Ling, says her son has nose bleeding and their doctor says it is good, meaning his body is strong. I do not know what to say when I heard this. I have since warned my son to ensure that if he drinks a lot of plain water in hot weather, be mindful of having adequate salts too. He agreed.
I also do find it rather lucridous for a “heatstroke” victim to be put under a “water sprinkler” system, to cool his body since this will only cool the skin surface and his body will response by further closing his sweat pores to prevent further heat loss. Likewise his blood vessels below the skin will also contract upon the false “cooling” sensation detected. Instead the poor victim should be brought to a dehumidified area to facilitate sweating. Maybe there should be immediate infusion of diuretic compound or medicine to allow his body to sweat.
I have proposed about it sometime last week that maybe we should try a novel method, that is to do some form of “blood letting” at specific parts of the body vascular system to allow the bloated vascular system to “deflated” and rapidly reduce the pressure on that had reached bursting point especially at the capillaries in the vital organs. In any edema, speed is vital to prevent total organs breakdown. Thus “blood letting” would be like mimicking the natural body defence mechanism of “nose bleeding” to reduce pressure to the brain. Right? Of course, you are telling me that the bleeding is actually a hemorrhage bleeding from dengue etc. I do not think so, logically to speak.
At for preventive approach, I always said that for those taking endurance events must remember to balance and replenish their electrolyte. Trying to lost weigh and be physically fit, is unfortunately antagonistic to each other, especially in a short timeframe. Too take very little salt and then try to run or partake in endurance physical events and then drinks lots of water is almost like putting your body to the extreme. Imaging having cramps from all the way from your calf towards your heart (a biological pump) that require optimal balance of salt (sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium) to function. To say that the victim could have some underlying heart conditions that may not have been detect is also true, but did we really provide the poor soul with adequate electrolyte. I understand that the US soldiers carry electrolyte replenishment packs as part of their combat ration and perhaps we should introduce this to our schooling kids as well to educate about the importance of electrolyte balance.
However, for the adults who may be taking too much salt in their normal diet, then they need not drink too much isotonic drink either for their fun run. But to deprive the youngsters and those doing serious training from having adequate salt when we ask them to partake in endurance event is, perhaps, a bit too selfish.
Lastly, I now begin to wonder if those people who goes in to emergency ward with high blood pressure will find their pressure lessening is probably because after having so much vials of blood withdrawn for testings, one should not be surprise if their pressure actually drop to a decent level and hence be discharged. However, this is another issue that I may want to write about later. Maybe I should donate more blood to lower my pressure too! Hee Hee!
Do take care!
Mikey
