Heatwave pushes UK temperatures to 34.7C as millions face hosepipe bans

Why do heatwaves cause a surge in hospital admissions?published at 16:26 British Summer Time

16:26 BST

Malu Cursino
Live reporter

Lorna Powell, an NHS urgent care doctor and co-director of climate action group Mothers Rise Up, says people with existing health conditions are more likely to suffer during a heatwave.

That’s because the body’s key systems go into stress, diverting energy and water to keep cool and putting less focus on already frail organs.

If water supplies aren’t topped up, people are more prone to dehydration, which can make conditions like diabetes and kidney problems worse.

Kidneys need a lot of water, and dehydration can cause blood sugar to spike.

Cardiovascular issues are another concern, as high temperatures mean your heart beats faster, your blood vessels are more dilated and your body is working hard to keep cool. “Sooner or later that weak heart is going to be overburdened,” she says.

Hospitals see a surge in patient admissions during heatwaves, as with any extreme weather event, Powell notes.

But it’s not possible to discuss extreme heat without looking at why our planet is warming, Powell says.

She notes that heatwaves and other extreme weather events are happening more frequent “because we’re still burning too many fossil fuels, which releases pollution into the atmosphere and traps the heat around the Earth”.

A recent study by Imperial College London and the London School of Tropical Medicine found that climate change tripled heat-related deaths, external during the early summer European heatwave, with an estimated excess death toll of about 1,500 people in 12 European cities.