Reducing Your Risk for Heat Stroke
By Drew Koch, DO, FACOEP
When summer is at its peak and the
days become hot and humid, we see patients in the Emergency Department with
symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. These are serious conditions: heat
stroke can be fatal and is the most frequent cause of environmentally related
death in the U.S. Heat illnesses affect people of all ages; however, the very
young and the elderly are most at risk for significant problems.
What are heat illnesses?
Our bodies stay cool through the
evaporation of fluid, which is the process of sweating. If you are outside on a
hot day and you are not consuming enough fluid to allow your body to sweat
sufficiently, you are at risk for heat illness.
stroke occurs when your body temperature rises above 104 degrees with
central nervous system dysfunction and lack of sweating. Heat exhaustion most commonly occurs in people who are not
accustomed to being outside or working or exercising outside in hot weather and
who are not drinking enough fluid. People with heat exhaustion may or may not
have an elevated body temperature. They typically experience nonspecific
symptoms such as weakness, lightheadedness, fatigue, nausea, headache and
Who is most commonly affected?
Young people who are engaging in
extreme exercise or athletic competition in the summer heat are at risk, such
as athletes who attend sports camps in August. Elderly people with existing
medical conditions are at potentially high risk and should safeguard themselves
from extreme heat exposure by wearing cool, loose-fitting clothing and hats to
protect their faces and necks. We also recommend that seniors get their
exercise and do their yard work either early in the morning or late in the
afternoon when the temperature is lower. Be sure to take fluid outside with you
We offer a special word of caution
to parents of infants. Parents often take their babies out in the summer in
strollers. Babies can become extremely warm in these strollers both from being
in the direct sun and from the lack of air circulation around them when the
netting is pulled down to block out the sun. Babies sweat from the heat but
they cannot tell you they are becoming dehydrated. It is very important to give
them sufficient fluid to keep them properly hydrated.
Infants should be dressed in a
light hat to protect their heads and to keep the sun off their faces and necks.
Letting them nap in the sun can be dangerous so place them in the cool shade.
And always use sunscreen when you take them outside during the day because heat
stroke and sunburn go hand-in-hand.
What are the symptoms of heat
exhaustion and heat stroke?
Initial sweating followed by flushed, hot, dry
skin (due to extreme dehydration)
Change in mental status, confusion,
hallucinations, or loss of consciousness
Core body temperature above 104 degrees
What to do?
If someone you are with has
symptoms of heat illness, get the person out of the sun and into a cool
setting. Loosen the clothing and cool the person off by applying a cool cloth
to the face and neck or gently spraying them with cool water. Give them a
sports drink such as Gatorade or Pedialyte to sip. If there is a change in
mental status and you suspect the person has heat stroke, get to the nearest Emergency
Department by ambulance because heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency.
Koch is board certified in emergency medicine and is the director of Emergency
Medicine at Cayuga Medical Center. For more information call Cayuga Medical