Male delivery driver loses control of vehicle, crashes in scorching heat.

While delivering goods during a scorching heatwave in Hanoi, a 21-year-old male delivery driver suddenly felt dizzy, lost control of his vehicle, crashed into the car in front of him, and was hospitalized with multiple injuries.

The National Hospital for Tropical Diseases recently admitted a 21-year-old male delivery driver with multiple injuries after losing control of his motorbike in the scorching midday sun due to hyperthermia. (Illustrative photo: Dinh Ha)

At the Emergency Department of the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, doctors received patient NVĐ (male, 21 years old, from Hung Yen province), a delivery driver, who was admitted with multiple injuries after a traffic accident while delivering goods in the scorching sun.

According to the patient's medical history, on the afternoon of May 24th – the time when Hanoi was experiencing a severe heatwave – he was working outdoors delivering goods when he suddenly felt dizzy, lightheaded, and faint. Losing control of the steering wheel, Mr. D. crashed into the rear of the car in front of him. Upon arrival at the hospital, the patient was conscious but very tired, nauseous, and had injuries causing deformities in his right thigh and foot.

Dr. Pham Thanh Bang, a resident physician in the Emergency Department, said the patient was diagnosed with heatstroke and heat exhaustion accompanied by injuries due to loss of control of the steering wheel during a period of hyperthermia.

Upon admission, the emergency team treated the patient according to the heatstroke/heat exhaustion protocol, which included removing excess clothing, cooling the body, administering intravenous fluids, and moving the patient to a cool, air-conditioned environment to lower their temperature. After about 30 minutes, the dizziness and lightheadedness subsided, and the patient became more alert. The injuries to the thigh and right foot were immobilized, and the patient was then transferred to the surgical department for further treatment.

According to Doctor Bang, both heatstroke and sunstroke are common medical emergencies during the summer. The cause is an increase in body temperature beyond the body's ability to regulate it, often occurring when working or traveling for extended periods in hot weather. Patients may experience fatigue, profuse sweating, dizziness, nausea, rapid heartbeat, and even altered consciousness.

A doctor examines a patient. Photo: Provided by the hospital.

"Patient D.'s case is a typical example of severe hyperthermia caused by continuous outdoor activity. For those who work intensely under the sun, such as delivery drivers, factory workers, and outdoor laborers, the risk of heatstroke and heat exhaustion is very high," Dr. Bang commented.

According to the expert, even a momentary dizziness or distraction can cause a driver to lose control of the steering wheel, leading to serious traffic or workplace accidents.

Dr. Bang further emphasized that if not treated promptly, heatstroke or heat exhaustion can worsen. Patients may experience hypotension, neurological disorders, altered consciousness, agitation, delirium, seizures, and coma.

The first hour after heatstroke or heat exhaustion is considered the "golden time" for treatment. If the patient is not cooled down and given timely emergency care during this period, the risk of neurological complications increases significantly.

This doctor also advises that when encountering someone showing signs of heatstroke or heat exhaustion, they should be quickly moved to a cool, shady place or an air-conditioned room; their clothing should be loosened or removed; their airways should be cleared; and cool compresses should be applied to the neck, armpits, and groin to gradually lower their temperature.

Patients can be given fluids or electrolytes if they are still conscious. However, patients should not be exposed to excessively cold environments suddenly to avoid disrupting their thermoregulation process.

If symptoms such as delirium, agitation, restlessness, lethargy, seizures, or unconsciousness appear, immediate medical attention is necessary.

Dr. Bang also noted that those at high risk of heatstroke include young children, the elderly, people who work outdoors intensely, and those wearing inappropriate clothing or not drinking enough water. During hot weather, it is necessary to wear loose, light-colored clothing, a wide-brimmed hat, drink water frequently even when not thirsty, and avoid working continuously for too long in the sun.

In particular, people should take a 10-15 minute break after every 45 minutes to 1 hour of outdoor work and absolutely never leave children or anyone else in a car parked in the hot sun, as the temperature inside the vehicle can rise rapidly in a short time.

Source: https://znews.vn/nam-shipper-mat-lai-gap-nan-giua-troi-nong-do-lua-post1654753.html