Physicians are recommending people to use light clothing, increase their intake of liquids and only engage in prudent amounts of exercise, as precautions resulting from the heat wave that has been affecting the DR these days. Hoy reports that cardiologists Bernardo Defillo, Geraldo de la Rosa and Fulgencio Severino have indicated the heat may increase maladjustments in blood pressure, strokes and heart failures. All three have noticed an increase in the number of patients being treated although they cannot yet relate this increase to the high temperatures which have recently reached 33C in Santo Domingo, and as high as 38C in Jimani, on the border with Haiti. In addition to using light clothes and drinking sufficient liquid, people should avoid closed spaces and their meals should be fresh and contain fruit and vegetables. Both healthy people and patients with heart conditions should control their amount of exercise and regularly check their blood pressure, according to De la Rosa. He recommended men should aavoid using ties when going to be outside and that people should prefer to wear cotton garments.
For daily weather updates, see http://www.dr1.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=34