ATHENS 

Italian experts warned of the health implications of an extreme heat wave prevailing in the country, local media reported on Tuesday.

Speaking to public broadcaster Rainews, the general secretary of doctors union ANAAO-ASSOMED, Pierino Di Silverio, said patients admitted to hospital emergency rooms had increased 25% due to heat-related illnesses.

The extreme heat triggered a rise in heat stroke, dehydration, and cardiocirculatory collapse, particularly among the elderly and patients with comorbid conditions, he added.

Alessandro Miani, president of the Society of Environmental Health, emphasized that excessive heat has caused health problems because it can alter the body's temperature regulation system.

The Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) also warned that extra precautions were required to store drugs properly in the face of extreme heat.

Meanwhile, the country's Health Ministry, which issued red alert for 13 provincial capitals nationwide, urged people to take care not to expose themselves to the heat and to consume more liquid.