by Joe Neidhardt
Heat exhaustion is an urgent but not necessarily dangerous condition if treated immediately. Unfortunately, heat exhaustion can quickly turn into heat stoke which is life threatening and demands emergency care. Remember, heat is the weather condition responsible for more deaths than any other weather-related cause; more people die from heat stroke every year than from floods, hurricanes, or cold spells.
It is important to know that heat can strike nearly any place in the world. Heat domes can settle over an area which lock in the heat, keeping it hot night and day for weeks and even longer in areas such as Phoenix, Mexico, or Australia. Approximately 400 people died from heat related conditions during a heat dome over Vancouver, BC, Canada the summer before last with record breaking heat for the area (in 2022).
The body has ways of keeping our temperature stable —around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit or 37 degrees Centigrade. It is regulated by the hypothalamus, a structure in the brain. When the hypothalamus senses you are too cold or too hot it sends signals to your body to correct the temperature. If you’re too cool, your muscles will be activated and you may start to shiver to warm up the body. When you are too hot, you will begin to sweat and your blood vessels in your skin dilate, you may look flushed, and you cool yourself. However, when your body’s capacity to cool itself is exceeded because it is too hot, you can develop heat exhaustion. And, if left untreated, heat exhaustion can then lead to a very dangerous condition causing heat stroke. If heat stroke is not treated it can lead to death.
The following list will help you assess your level of risk:
Heat Exhaustion:
Core body temperature 37 - 40 degrees C (98.6 - 104 F)
Flushed face and sweating
Low blood pressure
Nausea and vomiting
Leg cramps
Anxiety and confusion
Headaches
Heat Stroke
Over 40 degrees (104 degrees F)
Hot, dry skin
Irregular pulse
Nausea and vomiting
Seizures
Irritability, confusion, and coma
Rapid breathing
Water on lungs
Liver and/or kidney failure
Multiple organ failure
There are situations that can make you more susceptible to heat conditions. Below, we describe a situation and then offer a solution:
1) Situation - You're in a hot environment with or/and without humidity
Solution - Seek out air conditioning, cool areas and cool water
2) Situation - You haven't drank much water; lack enough fluids in your system
Solution - Drink water and ensure you drink water on a regular basis
3) Situation - You'e been exercising in the heat; you've engaged too much physical activity
Solution - Take frequent brakes, try to minimize the intensity of physical activity in the heat
4) Situation - You're in direct sunlight
Solution - Utilize shade, war hats, wear long sleeves and/or long, loose clothing
5) Situation - You're not used to the heat
Solution - Take several days to acclimatize, gradually
6) Situation - You're taking medications and/ or you have medical conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, or you are of an advanced age
Solution - Check with your physician, medical practitioner, or pharmacist about heat exposure and how to stay safe
If you, or an acquaintance, are experiencing symptoms of heat exhaustion do the following:
Get out of the heat and find shade and cooler areas.
Drink cool water.
Use a cool mist, spraying it on your body.
Place cool towels on your forehead, neck, arm pits and groin.
If your body temperature is still hot after 30 minutes, seek medical attention.
There is no clear division between heat exhaustion and heat stroke, so if heat exhaustion is becoming worse seek immediate medical attention.
If you recognize someone is having a heat stroke, treat it as an emergency. Emergency First Aid measures should be taken:
1. Deal with any acute emergency while you have someone and call 911.
2. Follow the ABCs: Airway, Breathing, Circulation. Make sure their airway is open, that they can and are breathing, and check to see if they have a pulse. If problems start begin CPR.
3. Move to a cool, shady location. Begin cooling until emergency help arrives with a cool, damp cloth on the forehead, neck, arm pits, and groin. Do NOT give anything to drink or eat.
4. Stay close by and offer reassurance while you await emergency support.
If you are trying to assess whether a particular geographic location is too hot, look for information on the local heat, humidity, and weather. You can check out the heat index chart online at:
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/pub/heat.htm.
This will give you a good indication of what to expect and what to prepare for. You can find additional information at:
https://www.aafp.org>afp>issues or https://tinyurl.com/33zey8tw
We all need to adapt to Climate Change and do whatever we can to slow and mitigate the changes we are having to face.
Walk in Beauty
Joe Neidhardt, MD