Sugar, BP levels going up? It may be the heat, say doctors

NOIDA/ GHAZIABAD: Prolonged heatwave is resulting in at least a 20% rise in instability of patients with existing conditions, such as diabetes, long-term conditions, and TB, doctors said. Increases in blood pressure and overall deterioration of health have been seen among several patients. Overall, OPDs at city hospitals have reported a rise of nearly 20% heat related cases since May.
Excessive increase in temperature is the underlying reason for the situation, said medical professionals.“We have seen patients with existing health conditions such as chronic illness, cancer, and diabetes coming with high blood pressure. Especially in rural areas, where there is a lack of electricity. Though every year we see existing patients suffering from the heat, this year there has been a sharp rise of at least 15-20% problems among these cases,” said Santaram Verma, doctor of the medicine department at Ghaziabad’s MMG hospital.
“Patients of diabetes end up in severe dehydration as diabetes itself causes polyuria (excessive urination). Patients mainly on SGLT 2, inhibitors used to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes, see frequent episodes of dehydration. High temperature & high humidity causes more blood flow to the skin. It causes the heart to beat faster while circulating twice as much blood per minute than on a normal day. It leads to raised blood pressure, especially in patients who have hypertension. Patients on medications such as diuretics, medicines that help move extra fluid and salt out of the body, have seen severe dehydration due to fluid loss,” said Dr Ajay Agarwal, director of Fortis Hospital, Noida.
He further added, “Heat stroke has resulted in approximately a 20% increase in the number of such patients in OPD. Due to dehydration, cardiac patients have several issues such as tachycardia and raised BP. Increased pressures on the heart on a longer basis can result in changes of rhythm & patients might end up with arrhythmia. Any patient facing such problems should immediately consult a doctor as there would be a need to change medications that may aggravate ongoing illnesses.”
“This year, the cases of heat-related illness have increased from the past. Importantly, patients with existing conditions are reporting anxiety, hypertension, and high blood pressure. A lot of patients are also skipping medicines. We can say heatwave is an underlying reason for the situation,” said Dr Preeti, assistant professor of general medicine, GIMS.
“Prolonged exposure to high temperatures and intense sunlight can result in heat-related illnesses such as sunburn and heat rash. Even if you do not feel thirsty, it is crucial to carry a water bottle and drink water regularly to mitigate these dangers,” said Dr Saibal Chakraborty, senior consultant of internal medicine at Metro Hospital, Noida.