Hotter weather in Singapore: Are you at risk?

SINGAPORE – With the mercury set to cross 35 deg C in some parts of Singapore over the next two weeks, this is what you need to know about whether you and your loved ones are at risk from heat stress.

When the body is unable to sufficiently get rid of the heat, this can lead to heat-related illnesses.

The heat can cause injuries that range from mild conditions like heat rash, heat cramps – which refer to painful muscle spasms due to dehydration and overworked muscles – and heat exhaustion, to more severe forms like heatstroke.

Certain groups of people are more at risk.

The elderly

As the body ages, its ability to remove heat is lower. This means the elderly are more at risk of heat-related complications.

Young children

Those under the age of 12 are especially vulnerable.

Young children tend to perspire less, which makes them more at risk of heat-related complications

Pregnant women

Heat increases the risk of premature birth, low birth weight, stillbirth and gestational diabetes, according to a study by scientists from Singapore and Britain.

This could be due to inflammation and reduced blood flow to the uterus as more blood is channelled to the skin to help the body cool down.

People with pre-existing or chronic medical conditions

Seniors with heart and blood vessel diseases can collapse from heat stress because of oxygen deprivation to internal organs.

When exposed to scorching heat, the body works to cool off by shifting blood flow from the organs to the skin, but those with heart disease may not be able to cope with the increased demands.

Those who are overweight or obese tend to retain more heat, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

People with chronic conditions could be less sensitive to heat because of their chronic medical conditions or feel the effect of heat more keenly because of the medication that they take, said the CDC’s website.

People with disabilities

Those unable to communicate may not be able to move to a cooler place or voice out their discomfort.

Outdoor workers

Every 1 deg C rise in daily average temperature more than doubles an outdoor worker’s risk of heat stroke, according to a local study, which also quantified the number of outdoor workers with heat illness over an extended period.

If this temperature increase is sustained over three days, the worker’s odds of having a heat injury will nearly quadruple.