Get help from NHS 111 now if:-
You or someone else has symptoms of heat exhaustion that you're struggling to treat, or you need advice about, you can call:- 111, or you can also get help from:- 111 online.
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Important weather update for Sefton resident
THIS is an important weather message from Sefton Council. "With hot weather set to continue across this week, the Met Office has issued an amber warning for extreme heat covering:- Wednesday and Thursday. This warning covers all of Sefton. Detailed information about what to do in hot weather can be found at:- https://Sefton.Gov.UK/heatwave. An Amber Warning means that there is an increased chance of people being affected by the weather conditions. The Met Office has warned that the hot weather, expected to rise well above 30 degrees Celsius across Merseyside, could be a health risk. This is especially the case for the most vulnerable, such as:- older people and young children. Severe weather could also have an impact on:- road, rail and air travel, with delays possible. Where possible, people are advised to make changes to their working and daily routines as a result." Alison Cave, Chief Safety Officer at the MHRA, said:- “Let’s face it; when there’s a heatwave, most of us are focused on getting outside and enjoying it while it lasts. But it’s easy to forget that medicines left in the heat, in cars, bags, or on sunny windowsills, might not work properly when you need them. Some medicines can also make you more likely to burn in the sun, feel dizzy, or get dehydrated, especially if you’re taking diuretics or have a condition like asthma, heart disease, or diabetes. To stay safe in the heat:- store medicines somewhere cool, dry and out of direct sunlight, especially if you’re out and about; know the signs of heat related illness, stay hydrated and listen to your body; take extra care in the sun if your medicine makes your skin more likely to burn. And remember, for all medicines it’s important to read the leaflet and speak to a healthcare professional if you have any questions.” Keep medicines out of hot cars and direct sunlight. Most medicines need to be stored at temperatures below 25°C. But cars, trains and buses can heat up quickly during the summer, and rooms with direct sunlight can get much hotter than you’d think. Even bags and pockets can get warm enough to cause problems, especially if you’re out all day or at a festival, sports event, or the beach. Heat can break down the active ingredients in medicines, meaning they might not work when you need them. That includes tablets, inhalers, hormone patches, insulin, and EpiPens. Some packaging will give clear storage instructions, but not all medicines come with a visible warning. Medicines that need to be kept in the fridge, such as insulin or certain liquid antibiotics, are especially vulnerable to heat. If they’re left out too long or stored incorrectly, they may not work properly when you take them. If your medicine has changed colour, developed an unusual smell, changed texture, or looks different in any way, this could signal heat damage; ask your pharmacist for advice. If you’re at home, check the patient information leaflet for storage instructions and keep medicines in the coolest part of the house, away from direct sunlight. If you’re travelling, avoid leaving them in parked vehicles or warm bags. A cool bag can help if you’re going to be out all day. Heat damage can also affect how much medicine your body absorbs, potentially making your usual dose too strong or too weak. If you notice any changes in how you feel or how well your medicines seem to be working during hot weather, speak to your pharmacist or doctor. Don’t forget medical devices:- It’s not just medicines; some medical devices can also be affected by heat or humidity. For example, blood glucose monitors may give people managing diabetes less reliable readings if used or stored in hot conditions. Keep devices and any test strips somewhere cool and dry, and check the instructions that came with them for any temperature guidance. If your device isn’t behaving as expected, try running a control check or speak to your pharmacist for advice. For more information about medicine and medical device safety, visit the MHRA website or report any concerns through the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme. Drink more water and stay cool if you’re taking diuretics or blood pressure medication. During hot weather, your body loses more water through sweating; but some medicines can make this worse, or make it harder for your body to cope with heat. People taking diuretics, or ‘water tablets’, such as furosemide, are already losing more fluid through urination. This can cause dehydration and mineral imbalances. Blood pressure medicines such as ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, or calcium channel blockers can also make it harder for your body to regulate temperature, especially during sudden hot spells. ACE inhibitors can even suppress your natural thirst response. Some diabetes medicines, including insulin and metformin, also increase the risk of dehydration or make early symptoms harder to spot. Antipsychotic medications, such as olanzapine or quetiapine, or stimulant medications for attention disorders can increase your body temperature, making you overheat more easily. Dehydration can cause dizziness, headaches, tiredness, confusion, and dark urine. This is particularly dangerous for older adults, young children, and people with heart or kidney conditions. If you start to feel unwell in the heat, move somewhere cooler, sip water slowly, and seek medical advice if you don’t feel better quickly. Check if your medicine increases your risk of sunburn. Some common medicines can make your skin much more likely to burn, even in mild sunshine. This includes some antibiotics, diuretics, antidepressants, or skin treatments for acne or eczema. Painkillers such as ibuprofen or naproxen are also known to sometimes cause mild sun sensitivity, but this is less common and usually only a concern with frequent or long term use. One medicine that requires particular care is methotrexate, used to treat conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease and cancer. It can cause extreme skin sensitivity to the sun, even at low doses. This can lead to painful rashes, blistering, or swelling that looks like severe sunburn. In rare cases, these reactions have led to serious infections. The risk goes up during sunny weather, especially if you’re outside more; whether you’re walking the dog, gardening, or heading off on holiday. Even a short walk at lunchtime or a train ride in the sun can be enough to trigger a reaction for some people. If you take any medicines, always read the patient information leaflet or check with your pharmacist to see if sun sensitivity is a side effect. If someone you know, or if you are having issues with the unusually high temperatures, keep a look out for heat exhaustion. This health issue does not usually need emergency medical help if you can cool down within:- 30 minutes. If it turns into heatstroke, it needs to be treated as an emergency. Symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke:- The symptoms of heat exhaustion include:- tiredness, dizziness, headache, feeling sick or being sick, excessive sweating and skin becoming pale and clammy, cramps in the arms, legs and stomach, a high temperature, being very thirsty, and feeling irritable. The symptoms of heat exhaustion are often the same in adults and children. If someone is showing signs of heat exhaustion, they need to be cooled down and given fluids. Symptoms of heatstroke:- a very high temperature, hot skin without sweating, fast breathing and a fast heartbeat, confusion and restlessness, seizure, and loss of consciousness. Heatstroke is a medical emergency; get immediate medical help if someone has the symptoms of heatstroke. Things you can do to cool someone down:- If someone has heat exhaustion, follow these four steps:- move them to a cool place; remove all unnecessary clothing like a jacket or socks; give them plenty of water to drink, you can also give them an isotonic sports drink or oral rehydration powder mixed with water to help replace salt lost through sweating; cool their skin, spray or sponge them with cool water and fan them. Cold packs wrapped in a cloth and put under the armpits or on the neck are good too. Stay with them until they’re better. They should start to cool down and feel better within:- 30 minutes. Get help from NHS 111 now if:- You or someone else has symptoms of heat exhaustion that you're struggling to treat, or you need advice about, you can call:- 111, or you can also get help from:- 111 online. COMMENTS (0)
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