"The most common call we receive is that a toddler, orally exploring the environment, has put it in their mouth," said Crouch.
SALT LAKE CITY — Folks celebrating a long holiday weekend probably have plans to avoid food poisoning and firework-related burns. But while you're looking at summer safety, tell the kids and pets not to lick the sparklers, pyrotechnics or glow sticks. Put on your mosquito repellent. Pack an extra bottle of water to avoid dehydration. And warn your couch potato friends that while it's good to get back into the game, don't do it too fast.
Folks who aren't used to much activity can trigger heart attacks with episodic exertion. It's not common, but it can happen, according to board-certified cardiologist Dr. James Milavetz of Salt Lake Regional Medical Center.
And toxic exposure to fireworks and glow products are more common that people might think, says Barbara Insley Crouch, executive director of the Utah Poison Control Center. Last year, poison-control experts fielded 550 calls about glow sticks, usually involving small children. They also took 42 calls about ingesting fireworks. Just since June 1, 18 callers have asked about poisoning potential from ingesting fireworks and 146 have been prompted to call by glow-product mishaps.
The two issues have something in common: Numbers for poison-related incidents go up this time of year as people enjoy warm weather, vacations, holidays and each other.
Throw in extremely hot temperatures and nighttime outdoor activities, and risks increase.
Regarding the toxicity of fireworks and glow sticks, "The most common call we receive is that a toddler, orally exploring the environment, has put it in their mouth," said Crouch. The snakes, the sparklers, the fountains, each have a variety of chemicals in them. So the risk is not just a thermal burn from being too close to one that's lit, but also the chemicals that could cause injury or irritation if licked or swallowed.
Most of the time, there's no need to go to the hospital. But the determination is on a case-by-case basis, complicated somewhat by the fact that all those fireworks come from different companies and parts of the country, or indeed the world, she said. It's hard to know what's in them that can cause injury or irritation.
The big problem with the glow products is they can break and kids tend to handle them a lot, sometimes sucking or biting them. If they do break, chemical may splash in the mouth or eyes. "There are very irritating chemicals inside the glow products. We will get lots of those kinds of calls this weekend, starting tonight," Crouch said.
Care is taken to rule out burns or airway problems, she said. Absent those, most cases can be handled without a trip to the hospital. But such poisonings "can be very serious," she said.
As for that sudden burst of exertion, you're probably more at risk from not buckling up or from speeding, Milavetz said. But a lot of studies confirm that a sedentary individual who decides to sprint or who runs because something or someone scared him will add great stress to his heart and raise the risk of heart attack. Even sexual activity can do it, he said. "The risk is increased in the first two hours after doing something physical," Milavetz said. And while it's a small risk, it's 10 times that of people who exercise regularly.
The causes that underpin a heart attack take decades to line up: smoking, high cholesterol, sedentary lifestyle, diabetes, for example. Triggers vary, though research indicates being very active in polluted air can do it.
That doesn't mean a sedentary soul should continue to sit life out. "Exercise is one of the best things you can do," Milavetz said. "It's the closest thing to the Fountain of Youth. When you do aerobic activities daily, incredible antioxidants come out." You should exercise every day, but if you haven't been, make sure your doctor clears you before you do.
"The take-home message is if you don't usually do much physical activity, you shouldn't go out and do much physical activity tomorrow. You need to work up to it," Milavetz.
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