Lethal heat Doctors issue health warnings as temperatures rise

With Jamaica expected to experience increasingly warmer conditions this summer, cardiologists are urging residents to stay hydrated and take precautions to reduce the risk of heat-related illnesses.

Consultant cardiologist Dr Tahira Redwood told THE WEEKEND STAR that hydration is the simplest and most effective way to cope with the heat.

“I would recommend it, whether it’s a cold drink or tea. Either way, both are fine, or room temperature, it’s all fine,” she said. Her colleague Dr Camille Christian said that the consumption of alcohol should be limited.

“Alcohol can make you pass more urine, so it can probably dehydrate you more. So I would probably reduce alcohol intake especially during the days and this heat ... drink more water,” she urged. Christian explained that rising temperatures also increase the risk of heat stroke which occurs “when your core body temperature goes up above a certain temperature”.

“Your body is too hot and that causes symptom like confusion, agitation, seizure, blurred speech and sometimes you can literally feel your skin being hot.”

But while hydration is important, Redwood cautioned that drinking excessive amounts of water is not suitable for everyone.

“We find an issue when patients who have cardiac failure, renal failure, and liver failure tend to consume more water when it is hot, and that can worsen their organ failure, so that can worsen their illness. They can go into overt failure, requiring admissions, because they end up drinking a lot more because they’re much thirstier in the heat in the summer months,” she warned.

She also noted that moving between air-conditioned environments and the intense outdoor heat can leave some people more vulnerable to dehydration if they are not adequately hydrated.

“Some people can have lightheadedness and that kind of thing. So, because you’re in a cool environment, you’re not going to drink as much, and then you go outside in this heat, you’re walking home, you’re taking the bus, you can faint, you can’t be very dehydrated. So you need to ensure that you’re hydrating enough in that cool environment,” she said.

The warning comes as many Jamaicans continue to grapple with soaring temperatures. In a June 11 press release, the Meteorological Service of Jamaica announced that “El Niño conditions have now developed in the tropical Pacific, marking the start of a new phase of the El Niño Southern Oscillation cycle for 2026”. El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern that develops when sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean become warmer than average.

According to principal director of the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, Evan Thompson, the phenomenon is expected to bring warmer days and increase the likelihood of temperature extremes across the island. A release from The Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum has also indicated that strengthening El Niño conditions could lead to increasingly intense humid heat through the peak of the heat season in September, resulting in recurrent heatwaves, particularly across the northern Caribbean.

But, beyond personal precautions, Redwood believes Jamaica also needs broader policy changes to help balance rising temperatures.

“Unfortunately, Jamaica is not like Singapore where they have a very high plant to concrete ratio, meaning like in the cities where there are a lot of buildings, it’s mandatory to have a lot of plants and trees. So ,in Singapore, a degree is cooler than it would be, and that’s a policy that we need to have in effect, especially with new buildings and all these high-rises. We need a lot more green spaces, which will keep the temperature down.”

She also encouraged Jamaicans to wear light, breathable clothing but argued that existing dress expectations should also be reconsidered.

“In a lot of government institutions, they don’t allow you to walk in with sleeveless or shorts and stuff like that. But, in our very significantly high-temperature countries, we really need to revisit those types of policies because that is better to prevent heat stroke,” she said.

With children now out of school for the summer holidays and likely to spend more time outdoors, Christian also urged parents to take additional precautions.

“Do play times in early morning hours and in the late evening, not being out in the peak of the sun at midday. But, if they’re outdoors, let them wear head covering, sun blocks and [take] adequate water breaks.”