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During hot
weather...
Hot
weather health emergencies
Heat-related deaths and illness are preventable, yet annually
many people succumb to extreme heat. Historically, from 1979 to
1999, excessive heat exposure caused 8,015 deaths in the United
States. During this period, more people in this country died from
extreme heat than from hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods and
earthquakes combined. In 2001, 300 deaths were caused by excessive
heat exposure.
People suffer heat-related illness when their bodies are unable
to compensate and properly cool themselves. The body normally cools
itself by sweating. But under some conditions, sweating just isn't
enough. In such cases, a person's body temperature rises rapidly.
Very high body temperatures may damage the brain or other vital
organs.
Several factors affect the body's ability to cool itself during
extremely hot weather. When the humidity is high, sweat will not
evaporate as quickly, preventing the body from releasing heat
quickly. Other conditions related to risk include age, obesity,
fever, dehydration, heart disease, mental illness, poor circulation,
sunburn, and prescription drug and alcohol use.
Because heat-related deaths are preventable, people need to be
aware of who is at greatest risk and what actions can be taken to
prevent a heat-related illness or death. The elderly, the very
young, and people with mental illness and chronic diseases are at
highest risk. However, even young and healthy individuals can
succumb to heat if they participate in strenuous physical activities
during hot weather. Air conditioning is the No. 1 protective factor
against heat-related illness and death. If a home is not
air-conditioned, people can reduce their risk for heat-related
illness by spending time in public facilities that are
air-conditioned.
Summertime activity, whether on the playing field or the
construction site, must be balanced with measures that aid the
body's cooling mechanisms and prevent heat-related illness. This
material tells how you can prevent, recognize and cope with
heat-related health problems.
What is extreme heat?
Temperatures that hover 10 degrees or more above the average high
temperature for the region and last for several weeks are defined as
extreme heat. Humid or muggy conditions, which add to the discomfort
of high temperatures, occur when a "dome" of high atmospheric
pressure traps hazy, damp air near the ground. Excessively dry and
hot conditions can provoke dust storms and low visibility. Droughts
occur when a long period passes without substantial rainfall. A heat
wave combined with a drought is a very dangerous situation.
During hot weather...
To protect your health when temperatures are extremely high,
remember to keep cool and use common sense. The following tips are
important:
Drink plenty of fluids
During hot weather you will need to increase your fluid intake,
regardless of your activity level. Don't wait until you're thirsty
to drink. During heavy exercise in a hot environment, drink two to
four glasses (16-32 ounces) of cool fluids each hour.
Warning: If your doctor generally limits the amount of
fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask how much you should
drink while the weather is hot.
Don't drink liquids that contain caffeine, alcohol or large
amounts of sugar. These actually cause you to lose more body fluid.
Also, avoid very cold drinks, because they can cause stomach cramps.
Replace salt and minerals
Heavy sweating removes salt and minerals from the body. These are
necessary for your body and must be replaced. If you must exercise,
drink two to four glasses of cool, nonalcoholic fluids each hour. A
sports beverage can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat.
However, if you are on a low-salt diet, talk with your doctor before
drinking a sports beverage or taking salt tablets.
Wear appropriate clothing and sunscreen
Wear as little clothing as possible when you are at home. Choose
lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. Sunburn affects
your body's ability to cool itself and causes a loss of body fluids.
It also causes pain and damages the skin. If you must go outdoors,
protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat (also
keeps you cooler) along with sunglasses and by putting on sunscreen
of SPF 15 or higher (the most effective products say "broad
spectrum" or "UVA/UVB protection" on their labels) 30 minutes prior
to going out. Continue to reapply it according to the package
directions.
Schedule outdoor activities carefully
If you must be outdoors, try to limit your outdoor activity to
morning and evening hours. Try to rest often in shady areas so that
your body's thermostat will have a chance to recover.
Pace yourself
If you are not accustomed to working or exercising in a hot
environment, start slowly and pick up the pace gradually. If
exertion in the heat makes your heart pound and leaves you gasping
for breath, stop all activity. Get into a cool area, or at
least into the shade, and rest, especially if you become
lightheaded, confused, weak or faint.
Stay cool indoors
Stay indoors and, if at all possible, stay in an air-conditioned
place. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to the
shopping mall or public library. Even a few hours spent in air
conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into
the heat. Call your local health department to see if there are any
heat-relief shelters in your area. Electric fans may provide
comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, fans will not
prevent heat-related illness. Taking a cool shower or bath or moving
to an air-conditioned place is a much better way to cool off. To
maintain a cooler temperature in your home, use your stove and oven
less.
Use a buddy system
When working in the heat, monitor the condition of your
co-workers and have someone do the same for you. Heat-induced
illness can cause a person to become confused or lose consciousness.
If you are 65 years of age or older, have a friend or relative call
to check on you twice a day during a heat wave. If you know someone
in this age group, check on them at least twice a day.
Monitor those at high risk
Although any one at any time can
suffer from heat-related illness, some people are at greater risk
than others.
- Infants and children up to four years of age are sensitive
to the effects of high temperatures and rely on others to
regulate their environments and provide adequate liquids.
- People 65 years of age or older may not compensate for heat
stress efficiently and are less likely to sense and respond to
change in temperature.
- People who are overweight may be prone to heat sickness
because of their tendency to retain more body heat.
- People who overexert during work or exercise may become
dehydrated and susceptible to heat sickness.
- People who are physically ill, especially with heart disease
or high blood pressure, or who take certain medications, such as
for depression, insomnia or poor circulation, may be affected by
extreme heat.
Visit adults at risk at least twice a day and closely watch them
for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Infants and young
children, of course, need much more frequent watching.
Adjust to the environment
Be aware that any sudden change in temperature, such as an early
summer heat wave, will be stressful to your body. You will have a
greater tolerance for heat if you limit your physical activity until
you become accustomed to the heat. If you travel to a hotter
climate, allow several days to become acclimated before attempting
any vigorous exercise, and work up to it gradually.
[to top of second column in this article] |
 Use common sense
Remember to keep cool
and use common sense:
-
Avoid
hot foods and heavy meals. They add heat to your body.
-
Drink
plenty of fluids and replace salts and minerals in your body.
-
Dress
infants and children in cool, loose clothing and shade their
heads and faces with hats or an umbrella.
-
Limit
sun exposure during midday hours and in places of potential
severe exposure, such as beaches.
-
Do not
leave infants, children or pets in a parked car.
-
Provide plenty of fresh
water for your pets, and leave the water in a shady area.
Hot
weather health emergencies
Even short periods of high temperatures can cause
serious health problems. Doing too much on a hot day, spending too
much time in the sun or staying too long in an overheated place can
cause heat-related illnesses. Know the symptoms of heat disorders
and overexposure to the sun, and be ready to give first-aid
treatment.
Heat stroke
Heat stroke occurs when the body is unable to
regulate its temperature. The body's temperature rises rapidly, the
sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down. Body
temperature may rise to 106 degrees F or higher within 10 to 15
minutes. Heat stroke can cause death or permanent disability if
emergency treatment is not provided.
Recognizing heat
stroke: Warning signs of heat stroke vary but may include the
following:
-
An
extremely high body temperature (above 103 degrees, orally)
-
Red, hot
and dry skin (no sweating)
-
Rapid,
strong pulse
-
Throbbing headache
-
Dizziness
-
Nausea
-
Confusion
-
Unconsciousness
What to do: If you see
any of these signs, you may be dealing with a life-threatening
emergency. Have someone call for immediate medical assistance while
you begin cooling the victim. Do the following:
-
Get the
victim to a shady area.
-
Cool the
victim rapidly using whatever methods you can. For example,
immerse the victim in a tub of cool water; place the person in a
cool shower; spray the victim with cool water from a garden
hose; sponge the person with cool water; or if the humidity is
low, wrap the victim in a cool, wet sheet and fan him or her
vigorously.
-
Monitor
body temperature, and continue cooling efforts until the body
temperature drops to 101-102 degrees.
-
If
emergency medical personnel are delayed, call the hospital
emergency room for further instructions.
-
Do not
give the victim fluids to drink.
-
Get medical assistance as
soon as possible.
Sometimes a victim's muscles will begin to twitch
uncontrollably as a result of heat stroke. If this happens, keep the
victim from injuring himself, but do not place any object in the
mouth and do not give fluids. If there is vomiting, make sure the
airway remains open by turning the victim on his or her side.
Heat exhaustion
Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat-related
illness that can develop after several days of exposure to high
temperatures and inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids. It
is the body's response to an excessive loss of the water and salt
contained in sweat. Those most prone to heat exhaustion are elderly
people, people with high blood pressure, and people working or
exercising in a hot environment.
Recognizing heat
exhaustion: Warning signs of heat exhaustion include the following:
-
Heavy
sweating
-
Paleness
-
Muscle
cramps
-
Tiredness
-
Weakness
-
Dizziness
-
Headache
-
Nausea
or vomiting
-
Fainting
The skin may be cool
and moist. The victim's pulse rate will be fast and weak, and
breathing will be fast and shallow. If heat exhaustion is untreated,
it may progress to heat stroke. Seek medical attention immediately
if any of the following occurs:
Otherwise, help the victim to cool off, and seek
medical attention if symptoms worsen or last longer than one hour.
What to do: Cooling
measures that may be effective include the following:
-
Cool,
nonalcoholic beverages, as directed by your physician
-
Rest
-
Cool
shower, bath or sponge bath
-
An
air-conditioned environment
-
Lightweight clothing
Heat cramps
Heat cramps usually affect people who sweat a lot
during strenuous activity. This sweating depletes the body's salt
and moisture. The low salt level in the muscles causes painful
cramps. Heat cramps may also be a symptom of heat exhaustion.
Recognizing heat cramps: Heat cramps are muscle
pains or spasms -- usually in the abdomen, arms or legs -- that may
occur in association with strenuous activity. If you have heart
problems or are on a low-sodium diet, get medical attention for heat
cramps.
What to do: If medical
attention is not necessary, take these steps:
-
Stop all
activity and sit quietly in a cool place.
-
Drink
clear juice or a sports beverage.
-
Do not
return to strenuous activity for a few hours after the cramps
subside, because further exertion may lead to heat exhaustion or
heat stroke.
-
Seek medical attention for
heat cramps if they do not subside in one hour.
Sunburn
Sunburn should be avoided because it damages the
skin. Although the discomfort is usually minor and healing often
occurs in about a week, more severe sunburn may require medical
attention.
Recognizing sunburn: Symptoms of sunburn are
well-known. The skin becomes red, painful and abnormally warm after
sun exposure.
What to do: Consult a
doctor if the sunburn affects an infant younger than 1 year of age
or if these symptoms are present:
-
Fever
-
Fluid-filled blisters
-
Severe pain
Also, remember these
tips when treating sunburn:
-
Avoid
repeated sun exposure.
-
Apply
cold compresses or immerse the sunburned area in cool water.
-
Apply
moisturizing lotion to affected areas. Do not use salve, butter
or ointment.
-
Do not break blisters.
Heat rash
Heat rash is a skin irritation caused by excessive
sweating during hot, humid weather. It can occur at any age but is
most common in young children.
Recognizing heat rash: Heat rash looks like a red
cluster of pimples or small blisters. It is more likely to occur on
the neck and upper chest, in the groin, under the breasts, and in
elbow creases.
What to do: The best treatment for heat rash is to
provide a cooler, less humid environment. Keep the affected area
dry. Dusting powder may be used to increase comfort, but avoid using
ointments or creams, as they keep the skin warm and moist and may
make the condition worse.
Treating heat rash is simple and usually does not
require medical assistance. Other heat-related problems can be much
more severe.
[Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for
Environmental Health; LDN] |
