How hospitals in Philadelphia region are preparing for patients with heat-related illnesses

Hospitals in the Philadelphia region are gearing up for an expected increase in patients with heat-related illnesses.

Doctors said it can happen in a matter of minutes when the heat index is really high, and people can quickly suffer from heat-related illnesses.

The ice machine is ready for extra duty at Lankenau Medical Center, where the emergency department is expecting to see a growing number of patients with heat illnesses.

"Whenever the heat gets very extreme, that does sort of trigger some of the chronic conditions that people have, for example, things like asthma or COPD," said Dr. Claiborne Childs, who is the vice president of medical affairs at Lankenau Medical Center.

Childs said the combination of elevated heat and humidity that will blanket the region can quickly spike body temperatures to dangerous levels above 100 degrees.

"The primary focus when people come in with heat-related illnesses is we wanna make sure we cool their body temperature as quickly as we can," Childs said.

In addition to ice, nurse manager Christina Cavanaugh said cooled IV fluids help reduce body temperature and treat dehydration.

Early signs of heat illness include excessive sweating, cramping and fatigue, which can escalate to the more dangerous heat stroke. When the body temperature is at 103 degrees or higher, it can lead to a body temperature of 103 degrees or higher, rapid pulse, headache, dizziness and nausea and sudden confusion or hallucinations.

"That's when we really, really get concerned," Childs said.

To avoid needing hospital treatment, people are advised to drink a lot of water and stay in the air conditioning or shade as much as possible.