Sunday, June 08, 2008

Heat Stroke


Hey there kids! Hope your weekend is going well. One of the headlines this weekend is this early heat wave, at least in the eastern United States. I have golf outing this afternoon. (Keep an eye on my Twitter to see how I'm doing today) And, around here, the high temperature will be in the mid 90s - with the humidity raising the temp even more.

Usually with the heat articles, you usually see health articles about dehydration and heat stroke. But, surprisingly, I did not see that this weekend. So, I will take on the task of reviewing this stuff. (Plus, I wanted to review this myself, because I know there will be a bunch of guys out there in my golf outing today who will not hydrate enough)

Here is a great article from WebMD which initially describes Heat Stroke:
Heat stroke is a form of hyperthermia (abnormally elevated body temperature) with accompanying physical and neurological symptoms. Unlike heat cramps and heat exhaustion, two less-severe forms of hyperthermia, heat stroke is a true medical emergency that can be fatal if not properly and promptly treated.
If you get a chance, be sure to check out the article above. Be careful out there today! Make sure that you keep well hydrated. And, if you recognize the signs of dehydration and/or heat stroke, definitely do not ignore them. You could save someone's life. Have a safe one out there today!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Dr. A, now that I live in Colorado Springs I don't think about heat strokes as much as when I practiced in Mississippi. Many years ago,training in Dallas, the ambulance drivers would ice down the many heat-related patients while in transfers.

I would stress the importance of acclamation to the heat. A lot of cases I have seen occurred in workers in the early summmer after the first "heat wave" or two. People exposed to this need to slow down, take breaks and drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. Usually their bodies and habits will adjust with time.

I know this acclamation does not occur with the elderly and homebound.

James Hubbard, M.D.,M.P.H.
Publisher, James Hubbard's My Family Doctor