Elderly at higher risk of winter 'heat shock' deaths when bathing; Japan expert shares tips

TOKYO -- Wintry temperatures have arrived in the Japanese capital and surrounding Kanto region. It's the season when taking a bath can feel good, but that also means a higher risk of accidents, so experts are advising vigilance against so-called "heat shock": sudden changes in blood pressure that can make someone lose consciousness or suffer a stroke.

Ayumi Toba, head of the cardiovascular internal medicine department at the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology (TMIG), said that heat shock "is often thought of as something that only affects the elderly, but young people also need to be careful."

3.7 times more deaths than in traffic accidents

Heat shock can cause sudden heart attacks, arrhythmia or stroke. According to vital statistics from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, 6,073 people aged 65 and older died in bathtubs at home or in residential facilities in 2023. This was about 2.3 times as many as those who died in traffic accidents that year, at 2,678.

In a survey by TMIG and others targeting fire departments across the country, a spike in the number of elderly people who suffered a cardiopulmonary arrest while bathing was seen from December to around February in a monthly breakdown in 2011.

Because some deaths thought to be due to heat shock end up being classified as due to "illness," it is hard to ascertain exact numbers of deaths. The survey estimated that as many as around 17,000 people died suddenly due to related conditions while bathing. That is some 3.7 times more than the number of traffic fatalities in 2011, which totaled 4,611.

When cold, blood vessels in the human body contract. When entering a hot bath in that state, the blood vessels expand and blood pressure suddenly drops. If the body's ability to deliver blood to the brain then fails, one can lose consciousness.

Around 3,000 of the fatalities estimated in the survey were among people who were not elderly. Toba warned the old and young alike, "The biggest danger is to faint and drown. Please don't think 'I'll be fine' just because you have no preexisting brain or heart problems."

Staying prepared is advised for people of all ages.

Preventing heat shock

According to Toba, you can do the following to avoid heat shock:

1. Install heating or retrofit thermal insulation in your bathroom and changing room.

2. Heat your bathroom by opening the lid above the bathtub.

3. Avoid bathing right after eating or drinking alcohol.

4. If possible, avoid bathing alone, and if any family members are present, tell them you are taking a bath.

5. Before bathing, drink a cup of water or a soft drink.

6. Set the water temperature to 41 degrees Celsius or less.

The bathroom can also be heated by running hot water from a high-positioned shower to fill the bathtub. Another measure is to have elderly family members take a bath second, when the room has been warmed up after the first bather.

If you're fortunate enough to find out early when a relative has fallen in the bathroom, Toba advises first draining the water from the tub, because trying to help them while the water is there is more difficult. She said it's also important to cover them with a bath towel to ensure they don't get chilly.

"If they've only fainted, they are likely to respond when you call out to them. If they do not respond when you call their name, or if they seem distressed, call an ambulance immediately," Toba recommended. She continued, "Heat shock is indeed common among the elderly, but young people have also died. Please make a habit of taking precautions when bathing, even if only in winter."

(Japanese original by Kohei Chiwaki, Digital News Group)

Source: Maitini