With recent heat advisories promising more sizzling days ahead, emergency departments are already reporting an uptick in heat-related visits.
When it comes to extreme heat, some of the most critical health risks and ways to avoid them aren’t always obvious, experts say.
In her public health newsletter, epidemiologist Dr. Katelyn Jetelina notes that it’s not just the temperature that puts you at risk of heat-related illnesses. It’s more about the relative humidity and dew point (which is the amount of moisture in the air). Jetelina says when those are high, the real threat is heat imbalance, which occurs when the body produces more heat than it can release. Sweat doesn’t evaporate as easily when it’s hot and humid, making it harder for your body to cool itself and raising the risk of illness.
“Ninety-five degrees in Florida is different from 95 degrees in Vegas,” said Dr. Heidi Cohen, a pediatric emergency medicine specialist at Joe Dimaggio Children’s Hospital. “The water you produce as sweat won’t be absorbed as easily and cool you off. If sweat can’t evaporate, then you don’t get the cooling effect and you don’t get the relief.”
A string of hot days can wear your body down, even if no single day feels extreme. And, warm nights make it harder for your body to cool and recover.
Signs of trouble are heavy sweating, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, rapid heartbeat, and confusion— all can escalate quickly to heat stroke, a life-threatening emergency. Heat stroke occurs when the body becomes severely dehydrated or is unable to regulate its temperature.
“Every summer, we’re seeing more ER visits due to heat — many of them life-threatening. Hydration, rest, and access to AC can save lives,” said Dr. David Farcy, chair of Emergency Medicine at Mount Sinai.
When there’s high humidity, exercise caution outside, even if you’re simply walking.
Stay hydrated and don’t wait to be thirsty to drink water. When you are dehydrated, your urine typically appears dark yellow, amber, or even light brown.
“Hydration is super important, so when the heat index reaches a certain point, you need to take a lot of water breaks,” Cohen said
Use air conditioning if you can. If not, find a cooling center. (Miami-Dade County has opened 10 cooling centers this season to help residents stay safe; Broward County has 15 cooling centers and Palm Beach County has five.)
Be smart with fans. Fans can help when it’s moderately hot by circulating air and aiding in sweat evaporation. But once temps climb above 90°F, cranking up the fan is not a great idea and may actually blow more hot air onto you, increasing heat stress.
Be cautious in your car: It takes only four minutes for someone to faint in a hot car. Be sure to release some of the steam before sitting in the enclosed, sauna-like vehicle.
If you’re exhausted by the heat, that happens because maintaining a normal, consistent body temperature requires a significant amount of energy. On a sweltering hot day, the body works hard to keep cool, and this extra effort makes you feel tired and sluggish.
If you need to cool down quickly, some methods work better than others, so it’s beneficial to know which one works best for you.
Cold and ice drinks do cool you down, but only momentarily.
You can spritz yourself with cool water and then fan yourself with a piece of paper or by standing in front of a fan. Alternatively, you could soak your hands and feet, as extremities are radiators of heat.
Ice packs also work if you wrap them in a shirt or towel and place them on your checks, hands, feet or the back of your neck. To cool off quickly, apply cold water or ice to the armpits or groin area, where the large arteries are closest to the skin.
If you are spending a lot of time in the sun, avoid alcohol, caffeine, and coffee. The best way to fight dehydration is with water and a salty snack, such as pretzels or baked potato chips.
And a word of warning: Don’t take a hot shower after coming in sweaty from outside. Between the steam and the loss of sodium, the combination is likely to make you pass out.
Seniors and babies are most vulnerable, but doctors say anyone who spends time outdoors can be affected by the high temperatures and brutal humidity.
With heat stroke, the signs might be tricky.
“You would expect them to be hot and sweating, but the body is starting to shut down,” said Dr. Ladan Pourmasiha, a family medicine physician and medical director for Baptist Health Urgent Cares in North Broward. “So these individuals will actually be cold and clammy and perspiration has actually stopped. This is where the body goes into shock and the blood pressure drops. Those are the cases where we want them to be seen in the ER immediately.”
South Florida Sun Sentinel health reporter Cindy Goodman can be reached at cgoodman@sunsentinel.com.
