3 ways heat can cause severe harm & even death
NORTH TEXAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) — This week is likely to be the the hottest week of the year so far in our area, with the longest stretch of consistent high-temperature days ahead.
We've talked about how dangerous this heat is. But what exactly does the heat do to the body?
The Heat and Health Research Incubator is a group based out of The University of Sydney. They look at the health impacts of extreme heat, and in a 2021 study, outlined three of the most dangerous possible outcomes.
Heat Stroke
Heat stroke is the most serious heat-related illness. It happens when the body reaches a temperature above 103 degrees, and stops sweating, losing the ability to keep itself cool.
"The difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke is with heat exhaustion, you're still sweating. You're still doing what you can, but you're behind." said Dr. Grant Fowler, Chair of Family Medicine at the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU. "Heat stroke means you quit sweating...You've really confused your body and it can't keep up. At that point, it's life-threatening."
Heart Attack
Heat can also lead to a person having a heart attack.
"If you have a heat stroke, your body is not able to regulate itself anymore, it can drop your blood pressure, you can seize and become unconscious," Dr. Fowler said. "That alone can cause a heart attack."
But that's not the only way heat can result in a heart attack.
The human body responds to heat by redistributing blood flow toward the skin to release heat from the body. This causes the heart to beat faster, creating strain.
Kidney Failure
The extreme heat can also impact the kidneys.
When the body experiences periods of prolonged sweating, a person becomes dehydrated and blood flow to the kidneys slows.
"It's called acute kidney injury," Dr. Fowler said. "You just get too dehydrated, so all of your blood is circulating toward the skin and not enough is going to the kidneys to keep them functioning and doing well."
Although anyone can suffer from heat-related illness, young children, older adults, people with chronic medical conditions and pregnant women are at higher risk.
Read more of our excessive heat coverage here.
