Heat wave: understand what hyperthermia is – 11/18/2023 – Balance

A Taylor Swift concert on a day when the temperature reached 60°C in the city of Rio de Janeiro, people begging for water in the middle of the performance, more than a thousand recorded fainting spells, a cardiorespiratory arrest and the death of Ana Clara Benevides , at 23 years old.

The IML (Medico-Legal Institute) will certify the cause of the young woman’s death.

But, in any case, what could be the relationship between extremely high temperatures — seen recently not only in Rio de Janeiro, but also in other areas of Brazil — and a cardiorespiratory arrest? Are there possible relationships?

According to Leandro Costa, cardiologist at Hospital Alemão Oswaldo Cruz, one of the main ways that heat can lead to cardiorespiratory arrest is hyperthermia. In general terms, it is a situation in which, without the body being able to regulate body temperature, it reaches a level where metabolic reactions are altered.

Costa points out that this situation is associated with a lack of hydration, extremely hot environments, increased humidity and even the type of clothing.

“Dehydration, which is the lack of water in the body, will generate an appropriate context for hyperthermia to occur or better yet, for the ability to self-regulate body temperature to be lost”, says Costa.

“You have to hydrate the individual and, in these contexts of extreme losses, it is hydration with liquids that are isotonic, as happens in those who practice physical activity”, says Costa.

The ban on entry into the Nilton Santos stadium, which hosted the show, with water bottles generated criticism from the singer’s fans. Once inside, water was sold for R$8 on Friday.

Ana Clara was on the show’s schedule and fainted right at the beginning of the performance. The young woman was taken to the Salgado Filho Municipal Hospital. The cause of death is yet to be investigated by the IML.

Tickets For Fun, the company responsible for the singer’s shows in the country, said, after the young woman’s death, that it would begin allowing entry to subsequent shows with sealed glasses of water and sealed processed food.

The Minister of Justice, Flávio Dino, published this Saturday (18), on his social networks that, “from today, as determined by the Consumer Secretariat of the Ministry of Justice, the entry of water bottles for personal use will be allowed, in appropriate material, in shows”.

“And companies producing shows with high exposure to heat must provide free drinking water in easily accessible ‘hydration islands’. The measure is effective immediately”, the minister published on his social networks. He also published a print of the ordinance on the subject, signed by Wadih Damous Filho, national consumer secretary.

The Public Ministry of Rio de Janeiro said it will investigate Tickets For Fun’s conduct.

In addition to requests for water from the public, it was possible to hear, in at least one audio, a request for salt to give to those who were feeling ill.

Such action, however, does not make sense, according to Costa, cardiologist at Hospital Alemão Oswaldo Cruz. “The purpose of this is to increase the individual’s blood pressure. But if the individual is already dehydrated, giving salt doesn’t make sense”, says the specialist.

The singer’s second show, which would have been this Saturday (18), was postponed until Monday (20).

After releasing a note on her social media, Taylor Swift said that, on stage, she would not speak out about the death of her young fan.