Heat wave causes increase in Rüsselsheim emergency room!

Heat wave causes increase in Rüsselsheim emergency room!

In recent weeks, high temperatures, reaching almost 40 degrees in Germany, have caused an increase in patients in emergency rooms. While the heat wave poses health challenges for many Germans, cities like Rüsselsheim and Karlsruhe are showing how they are dealing with the situation.

In Rüsselsheim, the emergency room is recording a sharp increase in the number of patients. The number of missions by the Maltese, who have had to provide more help in the past week, is increasing, especially during the day. These operations are not always direct heat emergencies. These are often indirect consequences, caused by exhaustion while exercising outdoors or by allergic reactions to insects. Accidents are also becoming more common as more people are active outside in these temperatures. Main-Spitze reports that heat-related overload affects many people, especially during the hottest time of the day.

Exposure to heat

The situation is similar at the Karlsruhe Municipal Hospital. Many patients here have to be treated for acute circulatory problems. On particularly hot days, most patients come to the emergency room between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., and the number can rise to up to 230 within 24 hours. As a rule, the number of patients on normal days is between 130 and 200. Surprisingly, the clinical picture remains similar compared to other times of the year, but more circulatory problems and short-term loss of consciousness occur in summer. Groups such as babies, pregnant women and older people are particularly at risk. SWR emphasizes that these patients often come to the clinic dehydrated.

Of course, the medical staff who treat these patients are also under pressure. Unfortunately, not all areas are air-conditioned, which makes working conditions even more difficult. That's why clinics try to give staff enough breaks to protect them from exhaustion.

Need for action in health care

The current heat wave has also sparked many discussions about the protection of vulnerable groups. According to the Tagesschau, it is not only the older generation that is at risk in Germany. Homeless people and people with existing health problems are also particularly affected. The social association VdK is therefore calling for comprehensive structural measures and training for staff in care facilities. It is emphasized that a heat protection plan is of great importance for all facilities that care for vulnerable people.

As part of this discussion, the long-term effects of heat waves are also pointed out: The German Weather Service reports that the number of summer days with temperatures above 30 degrees is estimated to have tripled from three to nine since the 1950s. Every year, heat waves in Europe endanger the lives of thousands of people. It is therefore urgently necessary to implement effective protective measures, such as greening roofs and public areas.