A total of 415 cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) occurred this month as of Saturday, data from the National Fire Agency showed as doctors advised people to stay warm amid cold weather, particularly people with cardiovascular disease.
The Central Weather Administration yesterday issued a low temperature warning nationwide except for Penghu County, anticipating sustained lows of 10°C or a dip to below 6°C in Nantou, Yilan, Hualien and Taitung counties, as well as areas north of Yunlin County.
The coldest temperature recorded in flat areas of Taiwan proper yesterday morning was 6.4°C in New Taipei City’s Shiding District (石碇).
Photo courtesy of the Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area
Sixty-three nontraumatic OHCA cases were reported on Feb. 1, the most for a single day this year, followed by 28, 52, 51, 61, 56, 50 and 54 for each day through Saturday respectively, National Fire Agency data showed.
Although the cases cannot be determined to be a result of cold weather, drastic changes in temperature can cause vasoconstriction, leading to conditions such as sudden stroke or acute myocardial infarction, which can induce OHCA.
Medical research shows that for every minute that cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is delayed in OHCA cases the success rate of emergency care is reduced by 7 to 10 percent, the agency wrote on Facebook.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
It urged people to download the agency’s First on Scene (急救先鋒) app to increase their capability of helping people with a heart attack.
As the 119 dispatch system is incorporated into the app, fire and rescue authorities can send an ambulance while informing and guiding nearby people who have downloaded the app to an OHCA incident occurring in a public place, the agency said.
They can help perform CPR or use an automated external defibrillator before paramedics arrive, increasing the odds of surviving a heart attack, it said.
The app also provides guidance on emergency care, which can assist people feeling unwell in deciding whether their conditions require medical attention, it said.
The Kaohsiung Department of Health also warned of the risk of cardiovascular incidents during cold weather, and cautioned that taking showers, getting up abruptly in the morning, going outside and changing clothes are the four high-risk moments for cardiovascular incidents to occur.
Blood vessels can suddenly contract while taking a shower in the cold due to drastic temperature changes, leading to unstable blood pressure or even heart attacks, it said.
People in a shower should wash themselves starting from their limbs instead of the head or chest, and warm up the bathroom ahead of time, it said.
As the lowest temperature usually occurs in the early morning, people can experience significant blood pressure fluctuations while getting up from bed due to higher blood viscosity and stronger vasoconstriction, it said.
Moving limbs to adapt to the cold in the morning before slowly getting up would help, it said, adding that it is also important to stay warm.
People moving from the warm indoors to the cold outdoors are advised to wear more layers, and cover their head, neck and limbs, as drastic temperature changes can lead to sudden vasoconstriction and increased blood pressure, the department said.
As sudden exposure to cold air can also cause drastic vasoconstriction and raise the risk of cardiovascular incidents, people should change their clothing when entering warm indoor environments, it said.
Elderly people and people with cardiovascular diseases or chronic diseases such as three highs — high blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol — are prone to cardiovascular issues and should be more aware of temperature changes in cold weather, it said.
They should keep warm, avoid strenuous exercise and drink water while outdoors, and continue to monitor their physical condition, it said.
If people experience the symptoms of a stroke or a myocardial infarction, such as chest tightness, chest pain, dizziness or numbness in limbs, they should go to a doctor right away for treatment within the “golden hour,” the department said.
Independent meteorologist Daniel Wu (吳德榮) said that the latest European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts model showed that northern Taiwan would remain chilly, while other areas would experience a significant day-night temperature difference from yesterday to today.
Temperatures on Taiwan proper could dip to 5°C, he said, adding that they would start to climb back up between this morning and Wednesday.
Additional reporting by CNA
REMINDER: Of the 6.78 million doses of flu vaccine Taiwan purchased for this flu season, about 200,000 are still available, an official said, following Big S’ death As news broke of the death of Taiwanese actress and singer Barbie Hsu (徐熙媛), also known as Big S (大S), from severe flu complications, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and doctors yesterday urged people at high risk to get vaccinated and be alert to signs of severe illness. Hsu’s family yesterday confirmed that the actress died on a family holiday in Japan due to pneumonia during the Lunar New Year holiday. CDC Deputy Director-General Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) told an impromptu news conference that hospital visits for flu-like illnesses from Jan. 19 to Jan. 25 reached 162,352 — the highest
COMBINING FORCES: The 66th Marine Brigade would support the 202nd Military Police Command in its defense of Taipei against ‘decapitation strikes,’ a source said The Marine Corps has deployed more than 100 soldiers and officers of the 66th Marine Brigade to Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) as part of an effort to bolster defenses around the capital, a source with knowledge of the matter said yesterday. Two weeks ago, a military source said that the Ministry of National Defense ordered the Marine Corps to increase soldier deployments in the Taipei area. The 66th Marine Brigade has been tasked with protecting key areas in Taipei, with the 202nd Military Police Command also continuing to defend the capital. That came after a 2017 decision by the ministry to station
TRIP TO TAIWAN: The resumption of group tours from China should be discussed between the two agencies tasked with handling cross-strait tourism, the MAC said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday reassured China-based businesspeople that he would follow former president Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) cross-strait policy to facilitate healthy and orderly exchanges with Beijing and build a resilient economy. “As president, I have three missions. First, I will follow president Tsai’s ‘four commitments’ to ensure that the country continues to exist and survive,” Lai told participants at a Lunar New Year event in Taipei hosted by the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF). Lai said his second mission is to uphold the “four pillars of peace” by bolstering national defense, developing a growing and resilient economy, building partnerships with
‘INVESTMENT’: Rubio and Arevalo said they discussed the value of democracy, and Rubio thanked the president for Guatemala’s strong diplomatic relationship with Taiwan Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Guatemala City on Wednesday where they signed a deal for Guatemala to accept migrants deported from the US, while Rubio commended Guatemala for its support for Taiwan and said the US would do all it can to facilitate greater Taiwanese investment in Guatemala. Under the migrant agreement announced by Arevalo, the deportees would be returned to their home countries at US expense. It is the second deportation deal that Rubio has reached during a Central America trip that has been focused mainly on immigration. Arevalo said his
RSS