Patna, May 10: As the mercury goes north this summer, doctors are already warning city residents to take extra care to prevent heat stroke and dehydration.

Those who have to stay in the open for long need to take extra precaution. Others, too, cannot afford to take the scorching heat lightly. Else they might start feeling light headed because of heat exhaustion.

“Patients often come to us with complains of dehydration. Even though summer is yet to reach its peak, we are already treating eight to 10 heatstroke patients every day. In this weather, dehydration is common. The only way to beat the heat is to drink large quantities of water frequently,” said Dr Rajeev Ranjan of Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH).

He added: “When the heat is dry, people tend to sweat a lot. There are hundreds of sweat glands all over the body. As a result a lot of water and vital salts go out of our body with the sweat.”

Experts said as the temperature and heat indices are set to soar further in the coming days, children and aged people are at the highest risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. While heat exhaustion is the milder of the two, heat stroke can be fatal. Symptoms of heat stroke include nervous dysfunction and high body temperature.

Dr Vikas Srivastava, a private practitioner, said the only way to treat patients suffering from heat stroke was to re-hydrate them.

“If the patient is in a condition to accept oral re-hydration, we give them ORS. But if the condition is severe then there is no alternative to intravenous re-hydration. It is important, however, that such patients consult doctors rather than taking it casually, as heat stroke can be fatal at times,” he said.

“To stay cool on hot days one must avoid caffeine and alcohol and other substances that increases one’s body temperature,” said the doctor.

He added: “One must also take frequent water breaks and drink lot of water and other fluids. Stay indoors if you can. If you can’t, avoid going out between 12 noon and 2pm, when the sun’s rays are the harshest and the air temperature highest.”

Another senior doctor in PMCH said the maximum number of patients suffering from heat-related problems come to the health hub in May and June when the temperature is the highest.

“Although a severely dehydrated patient can die after going into shock, we are usually able to avoid such an eventuality. When a patient comes to us, we have the means to re-hydrate him or her very fast,” he added.

Doctors said people could also suffer from muscle cramps because of high temperature.