美国国家公共电台 NPR--Blood pressure medication, among others, can complicate heat-related illness

Blood pressure medication, among others, can complicate¹ heat-related illness

Transcript²

Many medications can impede³ the body's ability to regulate heat. They include high blood pressure treatments, some anti-depressants, beta-blockers and common antihistamines⁴ for treating allergies⁵.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

Heat waves sweeping⁶ across much of the nation have led to more emergency room visits. From New York to Oregon, doctors say the long stretch of scorching⁷ temperatures is taking its toll⁸. As NPR's Allison Aubrey reports, heat-related illnesses can sneak⁹ up on people faster than they expect, especially if they take certain kinds of medications.

ALLISON AUBREY, BYLINE¹⁰: If you live in Texas, you're no stranger to the heat. But Roy McFadden, who lives in Katy, a suburb of Houston, says he didn't realize just how hot it was getting last weekend.

ROY MCFADDEN: Sunday morning, I got up and worked out, went for a walk, came back and did some weight resistance training in my garage.

AUBREY: After that, he went to play softball with his daughter. They were out for a few hours as the temperature climbed to 99 degrees and the heat index hit 105. He started to feel very dizzy and lightheaded.

MCFADDEN: I was surprised that when I got to the car and I sat in the AC, I couldn't cool off. My wife and my daughter insisted to take me to the ER. I really didn't want to go, quite frankly¹¹, but I was a little disoriented and nonresponsive.

AUBREY: When he arrived at Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital, he was treated by Dr. Wafi Momin, a cardiologist who suspected heat exhaustion¹².

WAFI MOMIN: He presented with symptoms of chest tightness, shortness of breath. And when EMS arrived, his blood pressures were reported to be very low.

AUBREY: After intense heat exposure, Dr. Momin says, the body is doing all it can to just cool itself down.

MOMIN: A lot of the blood flow circulation is pumped to our skin to try to expel heat in the form of sweat.

AUBREY: And when this happens, blood vessels¹³ can dilate¹⁴ or expand, leading to a drop in blood pressure, which for Roy McFadden was too much. Turns out his risk of heat exhaustion was elevated because, like millions of Americans, he takes blood pressure medications.

MOMIN: A lot of these blood pressure medications - the way they work is they relax to smooth the muscles around our blood vessels. And at the same time, your body by itself is trying to dilate these blood vessels because of exposure to the excessive heat. And both of those things can cause lowering of the blood pressure, which can be too much for someone.

AUBREY: Roy McFadden, who's about 50 years old, was given IV fluids and kept overnight in the hospital. He's feeling better now, but he says he has a new appreciation¹⁵ of the dangers of intense heat.

MCFADDEN: Have a bit more respect for the sun (laughter) what I had previously¹⁶.

AUBREY: The combination of age, intensity¹⁷ of heat exposure and overall health all influence a person's risk of heat-related illness. What the medications can do is add another layer of risk. Scott Hall is a pharmacist at the Mayo Clinic Health System in Wisconsin. He says it's not just blood pressure medications.

SCOTT HALL: There are many medications out there that have the ability to affect the way the human body is able to tolerate or manage high temperatures.

AUBREY: This includes drugs such as beta blockers used to treat certain heart conditions, tricyclic antidepressant medications and over-the-counter allergy¹⁸ medicines, antihistamines, which tend to dry people out.

HALL: Antihistamines, do, you know, help with that runny nose and watery¹⁹ eyes but can also affect the body's ability to make sweat effectively or in enough amounts to help keep the body cool.

AUBREY: Not everyone will respond the same. Some people may not notice any increased sensitivity. Emergency medicine doctor Eric Legome of Mount Sinai in New York says other drugs to be aware of are benzodiazepines, such as Xanax, used for anxiety or sleeping medications.

ERIC LEGOME: Those don't necessarily cause issues with getting rid of heat, but what they may do is impair²⁰ your ability to realize you're getting hotter.

AUBREY: Which could put you at higher risk of heat-related illness. He says people shouldn't stop medications just because of the heat. But some may want to modify in consultation²¹ with their medical providers. What's most important, he says, is to be aware. Allison Aubrey, NPR News.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARMS AND SLEEPERS' "WHEN THE BODY")

1 complicate   

vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂

参考例句：

• There is no need to complicate matters.没有必要使问题复杂化。
• These events will greatly complicate the situation.这些事件将使局势变得极其复杂。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 impede   

v.妨碍，阻碍，阻止

参考例句：

• One shouldn't impede other's progress.一个人不应该妨碍他人进步。
• The muddy roads impede our journey.我们的旅游被泥泞的道路阻挠了。

4 antihistamines   

n.抗组织胺药( antihistamine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Cough suppressants and some antihistamines may help quiet an annoying cough. 镇咳药和一些抗组织胺类药物能帮助驱除烦人的咳嗽。 来自互联网
• Antihistamines are the medications most commonly used to diminish allergic symptoms. 抗组胺药是药物最常用的，以减少过敏症状。 来自互联网

5 allergies   

n.[医]过敏症；[口]厌恶，反感；（对食物、花粉、虫咬等的）过敏症( allergy的名词复数 )；变态反应，变应性

参考例句：

• Food allergies can result in an enormous variety of different symptoms. 食物过敏会引发很多不同的症状。 来自辞典例句
• Let us, however, examine one of the most common allergies; hayfever. 现在让我们来看看最常见的变态反应的一种--枯草热。 来自辞典例句

6 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

7 scorching   

adj. 灼热的

参考例句：

• a scorching, pitiless sun 灼热的骄阳
• a scorching critique of the government's economic policy 对政府经济政策的严厉批评

8 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

9 sneak   

vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行

参考例句：

• He raised his spear and sneak forward.他提起长矛悄悄地前进。
• I saw him sneak away from us.我看见他悄悄地从我们身边走开。

10 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

11 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

12 exhaustion   

n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述

参考例句：

• She slept the sleep of exhaustion.她因疲劳而酣睡。
• His exhaustion was obvious when he fell asleep standing.他站着睡着了，显然是太累了。

13 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

14 dilate   

vt.使膨胀，使扩大

参考例句：

• At night,the pupils dilate to allow in more light.到了晚上，瞳孔就会扩大以接收更多光线。
• Exercise dilates blood vessels on the surface of the brain.运动会使大脑表层的血管扩张。

15 appreciation   

n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨

参考例句：

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
• I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。

16 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

17 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

18 allergy   

n.(因食物、药物等而引起的)过敏症

参考例句：

• He developed an allergy to pollen.他对花粉过敏。
• The patient had an allergy to penicillin.该患者对青霉素过敏。

19 watery   

adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的

参考例句：

• In his watery eyes there is an expression of distrust.他那含泪的眼睛流露出惊惶失措的神情。
• Her eyes became watery because of the smoke.因为烟熏，她的双眼变得泪汪汪的。

20 impair   

v.损害，损伤；削弱，减少

参考例句：

• Loud noise can impair your hearing.巨大的噪音有损听觉。
• It can not impair the intellectual vigor of the young.这不能磨灭青年人思想活力。

21 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。