Heat-Related Illness
Knowing when heat has really gotten to you. This is Dr. Steven Andrew Davis, Speaking of
Health. It’s a spectrum of heat-induced
lethargy which can quickly and unsuspectelly move into a condition know as heat
exhaustion and perhaps even to heat stroke.
Exhaustion is important; heat stroke is a medical emergency.
The combination of high heat
and high humidity is what brings on heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Nine
A quick refresher
course: heat stroke is a medical
emergency, characterized by a body temperature of 105 degrees Fahrenheit or
higher, typically bone-dry skin, and nervous system symptoms which can include
disorientation, delirium, and coma. Heat
stroke can come on very rapidly and progress to a life-threatening illness
within minutes. Heat exhaustion can
develop following exposure for several days to high temperatures and inadequate
balance or replacement of fluids and blood minerals. “Heat exhaustion is characterized by
dizziness, weakness, and fatigue and may be sufficiently severe to require
hospitalization.”
Remember: heat-related illness doesn’t always happen to
someone else. It can occur in the very
young and the very old in virtually of the country. Speaking
of Health, I’m Dr. Steven Andrew Davis for CBS News. For a
copy of this script and journal reference, access our web site, www.speakingofhealth.com.
Ref: MMWR,