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The human body is able to regulate its body temperature itself and keep it constant. Chronic diseases can significantly impair this thermoregulation. People with cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases (e.g. COPD), asthma, kidney disease, diabetes or neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) or Parkinson’s disease are particularly at risk.
The body reacts to the heat by dilating the blood vessels. This lowers blood pressure, so people with cardiovascular diseases have to pay special attention. Taking antihypertensive medication intensifies this effect. In the case of a diseased heart, heat regulation is much more strenuous for the body. More energy is needed to release excessive heat through the skin and thus cool the body.
Heat and UV radiation deteriorate air quality. The concentration of pollutants such as particulate matter or ozone in the air increases. At the same time, drought stress can lead to changes in the nature and release of pollen. This all irritates the respiratory tract and puts additional strain on people with respiratory diseases during heat waves.
Because of the increased stress on the entire body, the lungs also have to absorb more oxygen and release more carbon dioxide. The underlying disease itself makes it difficult for the body to do this.
In dialysis patients, urine production is limited or no longer present. The body fluid is therefore not excreted through the urine, but through the skin and through dialysis. General recommendations on drinking habits therefore do not apply to people with kidney disease. In this case, timely consultation with the dialysis physician is essential.
Metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, can limit the body’s adaptation to the heat. Sweating and heat release through dilation of blood vessels is slower and less efficient than in healthy people. In older diabetes patients, the feeling of thirst also decreases. Too little fluid, in turn, increases blood sugar levels. The dilation of the blood vessels also means that insulin is distributed faster than usual in the body. This can result in hypoglycaemia.
Heat can trigger a temporary worsening of neurological symptoms in patients with a neurological disease. A neurological disease can often lead to limited thinking and mobility. Both make it more difficult to adapt to the heat. Some medications used to treat neurological disorders interfere with the body’s thermoregulation.
In addition to our general tips, you can protect yourself from heat in this way: