Health officials warn about heat-related illness

Take heed, Clark County, it’s about to get hot. And with the record-breaking temperatures, health officials worry there will be an increase in heat-related illnesses.

“This is going to be extreme, maybe hotter than anyone here has seen before,” said Dr. Andrew Shepard, emergency department medical director at Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center.

The good news is that heat-related illnesses, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, can be prevented if people take a few precautions, know the signs of illness and watch out for each other.

“People should be not only aware of themselves, but if they know of anyone that does not have air conditioning, if they’re elderly or have multiple medical problems, they’re at increased risk for having problems,” Shepard said.

In addition to the elderly, young people are vulnerable to heat illness, as well.

Heat illness ranges from mild dehydration and heat cramps to heat stroke.

Heat cramps are involuntary muscle spasms, often caused by loss of fluids and electrolytes. Heat cramps can be resolved by resting and cooling down, drinking a sports drink with electrolytes and stretching the affected muscles, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Heat exhaustion occurs when the body can’t keep up with cooling itself, Shepard said. The body cools itself by sweating. If the body gets dehydrated, it can’t cool itself, he said.

Signs of heat exhaustion include cool, moist skin with goose bumps, heavy sweating, faintness, dizziness, fatigue, muscle cramps, weak pulse, nausea and headache, according to the Mayo Clinic.

“If you stop sweating or if you’re light-headed or feeling faint or do pass out, this is a true medical emergency,” Shepard said.

That, he said, can be heat stroke.

Left untreated, heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke — a life-threatening condition that occurs if the body temperature rises to 104 degrees. As the body temperatures rises, other regulatory systems in the body are affected, leaving the body unable to maintain blood pressure, Shepard said. That can cause a person to go into shock and die, he said.

If you’re not feeling well and think you may be experiencing symptoms of heat exhaustion, you can visit an urgent care center for an assessment, Shepard said.

Heat stroke is far less common than heat exhaustion, Shepard said. But with several consecutive days forecasted in the 100s, health officials are urging people to take precautions to protect themselves.

“I’m concerned about this week,” Shepard said.

Here are some tips for preventing or minimizing illness, provided by Shepard and Clark County Public Health:

• Drink lots of fluids, but minimize your intake of drinks with caffeine, alcohol or lots of sugar.

• Stay indoors with air conditioning during peak hours of heat. If you have to be outside, try going out in the early morning or evening, when temperatures are cooler.

• If you have to be outside during the day, rest often in shady areas and wear a brimmed hat, sunglasses and sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher.

• Cut down on exercise, and avoid midday exercise.

• Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothes.

• Never leave a person — especially a young child or pet — in a parked vehicle.

• If you don’t have air conditioning, use fans and a spray bottle as a mister to keep cool, or visit public places with air conditioning. If you have a basement, spend time down there; it’s usually cooler.

• Take cool showers.

• Keep windows closed and curtains drawn. Open windows during the day can cause your home to heat up. Open them at night and in the early morning when temperatures are cooler.

Locations of cooling centers around Clark County can be found in the map below.