How to Recognize Heat Illness and Stay Cool during Extreme Weather

According to the National Weather Service, heat causes more deaths in the US than any other weather phenomenon. People are more vulnerable to record-breaking highs because of climate change.

How can you keep cool when the weather gets hot? Scientific American spoke with experts about how to recognize the health risks associated with extreme heat and what you can do to stay safe during heat waves.

Who is most at risk of heat stroke?

Older people, pregnant people and children are more likely to get heat illness. Illness associated with heat can be worsened by health conditions.

Prescription drugs can play a part. Edward Walter is an intensive care specialist at a hospital in England. The way in which you lose heat is disrupted by them. Certain antidepressants, such as Prozac, tricyclics, atypical antidepressants, and cardiovascular medications are included.

People with jobs that require them to spend a lot of time outdoors are more likely to get heat-associated illness. People living in areas of the world with a climate that was moderate until recently may be less prepared for extreme heat waves. Only 3 to 5 percent of homes in the U.K. were expected to have air-conditioning in the next two years. Redlining, a set of racially and ethnically discriminatory home-loan and other policies that were widespread in the mid-20th century, is one of the reasons historically marginalized communities are often demoted to neighborhoods with the most oppressive summertime heat. In the US, redlined districts are hotter than the surrounding areas because fewer trees were planted as part of the redlining process. Socioeconomic status and race can be correlated with heat-related illness.

There is a difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion. When should I see a doctor?

The heat illnesses are categorized into three stages. The first and mildest stage is heat pains. They happen frequently during exercise. Stage two of heat exhaustion is accompanied by a rapid pulse, heavy sweating, and sometimes nausea.

The last stage of heat illness is heat stroke. Ebi says that heat stroke is very serious. If not treated, it can come on suddenly and be fatal. With heat stroke, a person's skin may become hot and dry to the touch, they may vomit or feel dizzy, and their internal body temperature can go as high as 105 degrees Fahrenheit. People with heat symptoms need to get medical help.

When people get into trouble with heat, confusion is one of the first signs. If you notice a loved one acting confused during a heat wave or if you start to feel unwell, it is time to go to the hospital or health clinic. If you suddenly stop sweating, it could be a sign of dehydration, which can cause damage to the kidneys. Walter doesn't think that people with heat symptoms should try to tough it out. He says that heat illness is more serious than we realize. Along with the kidneys, heat stroke can damage other parts of the body.

Is it possible to keep cool during a heat wave.

If air-conditioning is available, simple interventions to prevent heat-related illness include staying hydrated, staying out of direct sunlight and staying indoors. Ebi says, "You could put a damp towel around your neck or sit in front of an electric fan and squirt water on yourself so that the water will evaporate and help you feel cooler."

Walter says to cool down your core if you start to get overheated. You don't want to restrict blood flow to certain body parts when your muscles are cold. If you can, submerge your entire body in water to bring down your core temperature.

It's important to rest and recover when the temperature is high. Climate change raises nighttime temperatures which can interrupt the sleep cycle. It's best to sleep in light fabrics and in aventilated room on hot nights.

If the power goes out, what are you going to do?

Adams says to check your area for local cooling centers if you lose power or don't have air-conditioning. Most major cities have large, air conditioned public spaces during the summer. She says it's a very important intervention. They go unused.

Staying hydrated, avoiding direct sunlight and generating air flow are the basics if your area doesn't have a cooling center. Changing the air current seems to be effective, whether it means opening doors and windows or simply using a magazine or flyer as a handheld fan.

What can I do to make my city more resistant to heat waves?

Adams suggests planting more shade trees, as well as subsidies for air-conditioning units and systems, in the short term. An action plan that includes early-warning systems for heat waves can help prevent deaths from extreme heat.

Reducing our dependence on fossil fuels is the most obvious choice. Climate change is not an issue of the future. The health of our communities is being affected by it.