Heatstroke can be more than a temporary problem, it can lead to serious health problems, a physician said on Sunday.
A 59-year-old construction worker who collapsed from heatstroke at his Taipei job site last week and fell into a coma appears to have suffered some brain damage as well as other serious health issues because of his excessively high body temperatures.
The man lost conciousness two hours after starting work on Monday last week and was rushed to Tri-Service General Hospital, said Pauling Chu (朱柏齡), head of the hospital’s Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Heat Stroke.
The man was unconscious when he arrived at the emergency room, where his temperature was measured at 43.9?C, and doctors determined he had suffered burns to his back and limbs, probably due to the time he spent on the sunbaked ground awaiting an ambulance, Chu said.
Physicians also determined the man had a coma index of 3, Chu said, adding that a healthy person would have a coma index of 15.
The man was transferred from the emergency room to a special ward, where ice packs were placed on his groin and neck and in his armpits, while his body was covered with water and three fans were placed around him in an effort to quickly lower his body temperature, Chu said.
An hour later, the man’s temperature was finally down to 38.5?C, so he was sent to an intensive care ward, Chu said.
The man remained in a coma for 16 hours, during which time his body began breaking down, developing multiple organ failure, and acute encephalopathy and rhabdomyolysis, a condition in which damaged skeletal muscle breaks down rapidly, the doctor said.
When the patient awoke from his coma, Chu said he feared the man had suffered some brain damage because of his dull look, delayed response to questions and incorrect answers.
For example, when asked what year it is, the man replied 1990, Chu said.
The brain’s cells can be “cooked” and permanently damaged if the body’s temperature remains elevated for a long time, the physician said.
The man is now in a burn ward and once he recovers from his burns, he will undergo further cognitive testing, Chu said.
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