Heat-attributable deaths recorded in August break records since 2015

The month of August 2022

for the number of deaths due to excess temperatures since 2015, the first for which there are records in the MoMo Panel.

Until the 30th, there have been 4,563 excess people who have died from all causes, of which 1,604 have been attributable to heat, according to the Daily Mortality Monitoring System (MoMo) of the Carlos III Health Institute.

Although we find a favorable situation if we compare it with last July, during which an estimated 2,223 deaths occurred, the data for August is unusually negative.

These indicate an approximate reduction of 28% between both summer months, but we must bear in mind that experts point to early episodes of heat waves and the first months of exposure to these phenomena as the deadliest.

Despite the fact that Spain

, the MoMo Panel shows a striking concentration of deaths between days 4 and 8, and days 13 and 16. The Kairós Index is a surveillance system of the daily temperature-associated mortality that takes into account normal temperatures and the different trigger thresholds for heat mortality in each of the provinces.

It is an effective instrument for risk prevention in the affected provinces.

In this way, four provinces (Madrid, Pontevedra, Jaén and Barcelona) were on high risk alert during the first week of August, in which a good part of the deaths are concentrated.

Before the second concentration of deaths occurred, coinciding with the August bridge, the index put six provinces (Alicante, Castellón, Zaragoza, Huesca, Barcelona and Madrid) on high risk alert and Navarra at moderate risk.

It is worth remembering the

to avoid the dangers that these extreme temperatures can represent for the population in general and for people with previous cardio-respiratory pathologies in particular.

Avoiding exposure to the sun, staying hydrated and adjusting the medication applied to reduce blood pressure and diuretic drugs will be essential if we take into account that deaths from heat stroke represent a minimal percentage of the total number of deaths attributable to exposure to high temperatures.

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From what temperature is heat dangerous?

This changes according to the area of ​​residence

• Drafting: GRACIA PABLOSA Coruña

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This changes according to the area of ​​residence

From this Tuesday, August 30 and until September 2, the colloquium entitled Challenges of the s will take place at the San Telmo museum in San Sebastian.

XXI: Climate change, adaptation and health, celebrated by the Spanish Society of Epidemiology.

There, this Tuesday, fundamental questions were revealed: "Most of the health effects during heat waves are not only produced by heat stroke. Indeed,

.

What is most associated with mortality and morbidity is the aggravation of chronic heart, lung, kidney, psychiatric diseases...especially due to the type of drugs that these patients consume.

These people are the ones in greatest danger because they don't feel thirsty, so it is very easy for them to dehydrate and they are also usually long-lived," warned Cristina Linares Gil, researcher in charge of the Climate Change reference unit, Health and Urban Environment of the Carlos III Health Institute.

During the colloquium, a clear concern was shown about the proliferation of

and the way in which a growing drought can affect health at all levels.

He highlighted the interest in the association of this phenomenon and the

related especially to the loss of money in the agricultural sector, as well as the changes produced in the appearance of certain seasonal diseases and the

.

Valencia, Almería and Barcelona multiply their deaths in August

The information from the Carlos III Institute points to

as those provinces in which there were more deaths due to excess temperature in the month of August.

However, the most striking data with respect to the previous month are related to Valencia, Almería and Barcelona.

These are the provinces that experienced the greatest growth in deaths between the two months, with an approximate increase of 500%, 400% and 200% respectively.

The other provinces that observed a worse situation during the month of August were Castellón, Alicante, the Balearic Islands, Pontevedra and Madrid.

The rest reported more positive data or kept their figures constant with respect to July.

These, together with Cádiz, Málaga and Las Palmas, did not register any excess deaths attributable to high temperatures during the month of August.

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