How to fend off heat illness and heat stroke in these temperatures
During times like these, it feels like we've moved from the great state of Colorado and taken up residence on the surface of the sun. That brings more than personal misery, but a scary situation where we become prone to heat illness.
This summer, our ERs have already had cases—this week promises to put you at higher risk for a trip to that place you'd rather avoid. That does mean YOU. It's not just the very old or very young who are susceptible to be felled by heat—with temps this high, everyone runs the risk of heat illness.
To keep an IV out of your arm, here are three things to keep in mind in the days ahead:
- Start early and often. In other words, your mindset should be to "pre-hydrate". Don't wait to get out and about before you start pushing those fluids. Drink up before you leave your home. How much? One size doesn't fit all. One gauge as you go through your day is to make sure you are urinating every few hours, and your pee is light, not dark in color. What to drink? Water is best—room temperature vs. chilled makes no difference. Go easy on the caffeine, and by all means, these are not the times for a "nice, cool beer" or other summer beverage. Alcohol causes your body to lose fluids, and to a lesser extent so can caffeine. It's also a decent idea to mix it up a bit—a little Gatorade or Powerade can add a few electrolytes to your liquid intake. (And please keep in mind, if you are on fluid restrictions, you and your doc need to have a chat about the best way to beat this heat).
- Careful with those meds. It's amazing how many medicines can cause your body to retain heat—including some allergy pills, certain blood pressure medications, some mood stabilizing medications, among others. So if you're taking something for anything, check the label, check with your doctor, check with your pharmacist – even Dr. Google has a list.
- Watch your steps. In other words, slow it down. Whether it be work or recreation, your core temperature will climb before you know it. Heat illness is notorious for sneaking up on you. Once you get dehydrated, your body loses the ability to sweat and dissipate heat, and that triggers a cycle of fatigue, nausea, cramps, headache, and so forth. Once again, remember—DON'T wait to get thirsty before you are pushing fluids.
RELATED: Denver opens cooling centers as record heat creeps closer
Yep, it's extra hot these days. Even though an ER has air conditioning, it would be much better to chill out elsewhere.
