Electric fans proved to be more harmful than helpful for elderly people
New research suggests that older people could increase their core temperature and heart rate by using electric fans.
Six females and three men with an average age of 68 sat in a room where the temperature was around 108 degrees F for over 100 minutes. Craig Crandall, the lead author of the study and professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, believes that although these temperatures are not often, they still occur. He was referring to the 1995 Chicago heat wave that maintained temperatures over 108 degrees.
For about 30 minutes, the humidity was kept at 30 percent and then increased by 2 percent every 5 minutes, reaching a high of 70 percent.
The volunteers were placed in the heated rooms and on days that were chosen at random, they were given a 16-inch electric fan which was positioned at approximately three feet away from them.
Scientists revealed that when the individuals had fans blowing on them, their heart rate was usually nine beats per minute higher than the other days.
Without the electric fan and at a humidity of 50 percent, the standard core temperature was 98.3 degrees F. With the fan the temperature increased to 98.7 degrees. The investigators also noted that the heart rate with the electric fan was 88 while without the fan the rate was 79.
These findings are available for the 100 minutes period, and the lead author believed that an increased time could alter the conclusions of the test. Crandall is concerned of the core temperature and heart rate that an individual can reach if exposed to an electric fan for approximately eight hours a day.
A cardiologist at the Heart Hospital in Texas at Baylor in Plano admitted that increased core temperatures could worsen conditions such as angina, which is an intense chest pain because not enough blood is pumped to the heart or high blood pressure.
Crandall said that elderly individuals are advised to use the air conditioning to cool off as well as hydrating with cold drinks, especially water and using wet compresses.
The lead author of the study is determined to conduct more research with his colleagues to analyze when exactly does the electric fan turn from helpful to harmful.
Image source: Wikipedia
Michael Turner
