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| Prevent Heat Stroke This Summer
Washington Hospital Offers
Cooling Center On Hot Days
Tri-City Voice, July 22, 2009
When the weather heats up in the
summertime, it’s tempting to spend more
time outside in the sunshine. Too much
heat, though, can result in heat stroke
– a medical emergency that can be fatal
if not treated promptly.
"Heat stroke is a type of
hyperthermia, which is an abnormally
elevated body temperature," says Dr.
Steven Curran, a family medicine
physician at Washington Hospital. "With
heat stroke, your body’s heat-regulating
function is overwhelmed and your
internal body temperature rises to 104
degrees or more. At 106 degrees, you
actually will start to suffer brain
damage or damage to other internal
organs."
Dr. Curran notes that a milder
condition known as "heat exhaustion" can
sometimes be a precursor to heat stroke.
"Someone with heat exhaustion is
likely to be sweating profusely and
experience thirst, nausea, dizziness or
weakness," he explains. "The person’s
body temperature may rise, but usually
not much over 100 degrees. A person with
heat stroke, on the other hand,
generally stops sweating and experiences
difficulty breathing, a drop in blood
pressure and an increase in heart rate.
A heat stroke victim also may become
confused or hostile and suffer
hallucinations. The person also may lose
consciousness."
The people who are most susceptible
to heat stroke include young children,
the elderly and people who are born with
an impaired ability to sweat. People who
are taking certain medications for high
blood pressure, allergies or depression
also may be more at risk for heat
stroke.
"Taking precautions to avoid heat
exhaustion or heat stroke is really
key," Dr. Curran says. "If you wait
until you’re dehydrated and thirsty, you
may have waited too long."
Dr. Curran offers the following
suggestions for dealing with mild cases
of heat exhaustion and preventing heat
stroke:
- Stay indoors or in the shade if
at all possible.
- Avoid strenuous exercise in hot
weather.
- Avoid heavy meals during hot
weather.
- Wear light-colored,
loose-fitting clothes and a hat.
- Use air conditioning or cooling
fans.
- Jump in the pool or spray water
on yourself.
- Drink plenty of fluids.
"Staying hydrated is one of the most
important measures you can take to avoid
heat stroke," Dr. Curran emphasizes.
"Your body loses electrolytes when you
sweat, so drinking beverages such as
Gatorade or Pedialyte is ideal. If water
is all you have, though, it works. Do
not consume alcoholic beverages because
they may actually increase your
dehydration. Beverages with caffeine
might also raise your heart rate."
If you are with someone who appears
to be suffering from heat stroke, Dr.
Curran recommends:
- Call 911 immediately and ask for
instructions while you wait for
emergency medical personnel to
arrive.
- Move the person to a cool area
or into a cool bath of water. Do not
leave the person unattended in a
bath.
- Place ice packs under the
person’s arms and groin.
- Apply cool water to the skin and
use a fan to blow cool air across
the skin.
- Give cool beverages by mouth
only if the person is conscious and
mentally stable.
"It’s also important to monitor
people’s body temperature with a
thermometer as you cool them down," Dr.
Curran adds. "If you try to cool someone
down too quickly – by putting them in a
very cold bath, for example – it could
be counter-productive."
Washington Hospital Cooling
Center
During the summer, Washington
Hospital will open a cooling center
whenever extremely high temperatures
affect the local area. The cooling
center will be located in the Community
Health Resource Library located at 2500
Mowry Ave, (1st floor, Washington West
building) in Fremont. Call Washington
Hospital's Community Relations
department at (510) 791-3417 to receive
updated information on days the center
will open. Cool refreshments including
water and lemonade are free and the
cooling center will also offer a variety
of magazines, newspapers, and internet
access for people to enjoy. |
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