Every summer, extreme heat waves affect communities across the country, placing added stress on the body. During times of scorching weather, our cooling system becomes strained to protect our well-being.
However, extreme weather can quickly become too much for the body, resulting in a potentially life-threatening condition called heatstroke. Heatstroke occurs once your core body temperature reaches 104 degrees or higher. In such instances, the body stops being able to regulate its temperature through sweating.
This is a medical emergency that can quickly damage the brain, heart, and kidneys. While anyone can develop this condition during a heatwave, certain groups face a much higher threat.
The Vulnerability of Age
Age plays a massive role in how the body handles extreme temperatures. Infants and young children under four years old are highly vulnerable to heatstroke. Their central nervous systems are not fully developed yet, which makes it harder for their bodies to regulate internal temperature.
They are also fully dependent on adults for maintaining their hydration levels and protection from the sun. On the contrary, older adults over the age of 65 have a very high risk. The aging process makes the central nervous system less sensitive to temperature shifts.
Many older adults also have chronic medical conditions or take medications that reduce the body’s ability to regulate heat.
Chronic Health Issues
The existence of a chronic illness affects the way the body deals with heat. In the case of people suffering from heart diseases, they are in an extremely disadvantaged position since the body needs to increase heart rate and make it work harder to lower body temperature through heat loss from the skin.
Asthma and COPD, among other respiratory illnesses, increase vulnerability since hot weather conditions have an effect on the air quality and make breathing difficult. The extra effort that the body puts in trying to inhale air leads to an increase in body heat production.
Common Medications
Many individuals do not realize that their daily prescriptions can leave them vulnerable to heatstroke. Certain common drugs interfere with the body’s natural ability to stay hydrated and respond to high temperatures.
For example, diuretics, often called water pills, are frequently prescribed to treat high blood pressure. The main function of the medicines is to make the body release water and sodium, and thus cause dehydration sooner while under the sun.
Moreover, some antidepressants, antihistamines, and certain blood pressure medications can reduce sweating or affect the body’s ability to regulate heat.
High-Exertion Lifestyles
Even perfectly healthy individuals can fall victim to heatstroke if their daily routines involve heavy physical labor or intense outdoor exercise. Construction workers, roofers, landscapers, and agricultural laborers spend long hours under direct sunlight.
High temperatures, along with strenuous labor, form a deadly mixture that causes heat illnesses. Outdoor training under midday heat exposes athletes to the same risks. Footballers with all their protective gear on and long-distance runners tend to overcome their fatigue without paying heed to early symptoms such as dizziness or nausea.
When to Seek Help
Protecting yourself requires recognizing the signs of trouble early. If you or someone around you experiences confusion, slurred speech, a rapid pulse, or hot, dry skin during a heat wave, you must act fast.
Move to a cool area, apply damp cloths, and seek immediate medical care. At PCP For Life, we encourage everyone to learn these risk factors and check on vulnerable neighbors. Knowing who faces the highest threat saves lives when the temperature rises.
