Heat Stroke

During very hot weather, it's important to be aware of the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, especially in children and the elderly. According to the American Red Cross, heat-related illnesses come in stages. At first, you may experience heat cramps, which are cramps that develop in the muscles of your body when you exercise in hot conditions. The cramps may be felt in the legs (Read about "Feet, Ankles and Legs"), arms or torso. Symptoms after that are considered signs of heat exhaustion. They can include:

• moist pale skin
• headache
• dizziness
• nausea
• heavy sweating (Read about "Sweating")
• rapid heartbeat
• dark urine

If someone is experiencing heat cramps or heat exhaustion, they need to stop activities, get out of the sun and cool off right away. If steps are not taken to cool down, heat exhaustion can progress to heat stroke. At this point, sweating may stop, but the body temperatures gets very high. There can also be vomiting, loss of consciousness, hyperventilation and seizures. (Read about "Seizures") Heat stroke requires immediate professional medical care.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say each year more people in the United States die from extreme heat exposure than from hurricanes, lightening, tornadoes, floods and earthquakes combined. Over the past two decades, at least 7421 deaths that occurred in this country were attributed to excessive heat exposure. On average, approximately 300 people die each year from exposure to heat. Air conditioning provides the most protection from heat exposure and heat-related deaths. However, some people may be fearful of high utility bills and limit their use of air conditioning. Such action can place people who are already at risk for heat illness at increased risk.

Who's at risk

According to the National Center for Environmental Health, 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, which prevents the body from releasing heat quickly. Other conditions that can limit the ability to regulate temperature include old age, obesity (Read about "Obesity"), fever, dehydration, heart disease(Read about "Coronary Heart Disease"), poor circulation, sunburn and drug and alcohol use.

It's important to be aware of the signs of heat-related illness if you or someone you know are in any of these high risk groups:

• children - according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children have a lower surface-area-to-body-mass ratio than adults, so that their sweating capacity is lower than adults and they are more vulnerable to heat stress (Read about "Children and Sun")
• elderly
• people who work outdoors
• people with circulation or breathing problems (Read about "Respiratory System")
• people who live or work with inadequate cooling or ventilation
• people who have had a previous heat-related illness

Taking breaks from activity and drinking enough fluids can help ward off problems.

It's also important to watch for signs of heat-related illnesses while you exercise in warmer weather. Warmer weather seems to inspire many of us to do more outdoor activity. But it's essential that we take a few precautions first.

One of the most important involves drinking enough fluids to avoid dehydration. (Read about "Dehydration") The American Council on Exercise recommends drinking six to eight ounces of fluid for every 15-20 minutes of exercise. It's also important to maintain body fluids by drinking enough water, even if you're not working out. The American Red Cross recommends eight glasses of water a day for normal activity. However, if your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask him or her how much you should drink while the weather is hot. Lightweight, light colored, loose clothing can also help your body stay cooler. And using common sense helps too. If it's very hot or humid, postpone exercise to avoid the midday heat or move indoors to cooler temperatures.

Some other tips from CDC include:

• Take a cool shower or bath.
• Stay indoors and, if at all possible, stay in an air-conditioned place. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to a shopping mall, senior center 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.
• Limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours.
• Try to rest often in shady areas.
• NEVER leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle.

Finally, the sun is often more intense on hot days, so don't forget to protect your skin from excessive sun exposure. (Read about "Sunscreen")

Related Information:

    Emergency

    Avoid Sports Injury