Heat Exhaustion is more common. It occurs as a result of water or sodium – depletion, with non-specific features of malaise, vomiting and circulatory collapse, and is present when the core temperature is between 37 40 degrees C. Left – untreated, heat exhaustion may evolve into heatstroke. Heatstroke can become a point of no return whereby the – body’s thermoregulation mechanism fails. This leads to a medical emergency, with symptoms of confusion; disorientation; convulsions; unconsciousness; hot dry skin; and core body temperature exceeding 40 degrees C for between 45 minutes and eight hours. It can result in cell death, organ failure, brain damage or death. Heatstroke can be either classical or exertional, e.g. in athletes. People with chronic or severe illness are likely to be at particular risk, including the following conditions: Respiratory disease Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular conditions Diabetes and obesity Severe mental illness disease and difficulties with mobility Parkinson’s Renal insufficiency Peripheral vascular conditions or related diseases Alzheimer’s Whatever the underlying cause of heat-related symptoms, the treatment is always the same move the person to somewhere cooler and cool them down. – The Health Risk There are certain groups that are particularly at risk during a heat wave. These include: Older age especially those over 75 years old, female and/or living on their own Chronic and severe illness including heart conditions, diabetes, respiratory or renal insufficiency, disease or severe mental illness. Medications that Parkinson’s potentially affect renal function, the ability to sweat, thermoregulation (e.g. body’s psychiatric medications) or electrolyte balance (diuretics) can make this group more vulnerable to the effects of heat are vulnerable to heat due to immature thermoregulation, smaller body Infants mass and blood volume, high dependency level, dehydration risk in case of diarrhoea Homeless people those who sleep in shelters as well as outdoors may be at increased risk from heatwaves. Higher rates of chronic disease (often poorly controlled), smoking, respiratory conditions, substance dependencies and mental illness are more frequent homeless populations than in the general population. These risk factors increase the risks of heat related morbidity and mortality, on top
Heat Exhaustion – is more common. It occurs as a result of water or sodium depletion, with non-specific features of malaise, vomiting and circulatory collapse, and is present when the core temperature is between 37 – 40 degrees C. Left untreated, heat exhaustion may evolve into heatstroke. Heatstroke – can become a point of no return whereby the body’s thermoregulation mechanism fails. This leads to a medical emergency, with symptoms of confusion; disorientation; convulsions; unconsciousness; hot dry skin; and core body temperature exceeding 40 degrees C for between 45 minutes and eight hours. It can result in cell death, organ failure, brain damage or death. Heatstroke can be either classical or exertional, e.g. in athletes. People with chronic or severe illness are likely to be at particular risk, including the following conditions: Respiratory disease Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular conditions Diabetes and obesity Severe mental illness Parkinson’s disease and difficulties with mobility Renal insufficiency Peripheral vascular conditions Alzheimer’s or related diseases Whatever the underlying cause of heat-related symptoms, the treatment is always the same – move the person to somewhere cooler and cool them down. The Health Risk There are certain groups that are particularly at risk during a heat wave. These include: Older age especially those over 75 years old, female and/or living on their own Chronic and severe illness including heart conditions, diabetes, respiratory or renal insufficiency, Parkinson’s disease or severe mental illness. Medications that potentially affect renal function, the body’s ability to sweat, thermoregulation (e.g. psychiatric medications) or electrolyte balance (diuretics) can make this group more vulnerable to the effects of heat Infants are vulnerable to heat due to immature thermoregulation, smaller body mass and blood volume, high dependency level, dehydration risk in case of diarrhoea Homeless people those who sleep in shelters as well as outdoors may be at increased risk from heatwaves. Higher rates of chronic disease (often poorly controlled), smoking, respiratory conditions, substance dependencies and mental illness are more frequent homeless populations than in the general population. These risk factors increase the risks of heat related morbidity and mortality, on top