By Dr. James Sinex
MCGHealth Emergency Department

Pre-summer temperatures hovering around the 100-degree mark across the Southeast could be indicative of a long, hot summer, so it’s important to learn how to take the heat off your heart to prevent serious illness.

About 8,000 people in the United States have died from heat exposure since 1979, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The elderly, the very young, people with mental illness, chronic diseases - especially heart disease - or who take diuretics or high blood pressure medicine are most susceptible to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Even young and healthy individuals can succumb to heat if they participate in strenuous physical activities during hot weather.

People suffer heat-related illnesses when their bodies are unable to compensate and properly cool themselves. Summertime activity, whether in the garden, on the playing field or at the construction site, should be balanced with measures that aid the body’s cooling mechanisms and prevent heat-related illness.

Follow these preventive measures to take the heat off your heart:

1. Schedule outdoor activities strategically. If you must be outdoors, try to limit activity to early morning or early evening hours. Take breaks regularly in shady areas so that your body’s thermostat will have a chance to recover.
2. Pace yourself. If you don’t frequently exercise or work in a hot climate, begin slowly, and gradually increase the pace. Avoid overexertion. If activities in the heat make your heart pound and leave you gasping for breath, stop, move to a cool or shaded area, and rest - especially if you become lightheaded, confused, weak, or faint.
3. Avoid direct sunlight. If you can, stay out of the sun. But always use sun screen to reduce the heat absorbed and the moisture lost from the body. Additionally, wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
4. Drink plenty of fluids. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. During heavy exercise in a hot environment, drink two to four glasses of cool fluids each hour. A sports beverage can replace the needed salt and minerals you lose in sweat. However, if you are on a low-salt diet, talk with your doctor before drinking a sports beverage or taking salt tablets. Avoid liquids that contain alcohol or large amounts of sugar - these cause you to lose more body fluid. Also avoid extremely cold drinks that can cause stomach cramps.
5. Avoid hot foods. Do not eat a heavy or hot meal before going outside in hot weather. This will heat your body faster, making you more vulnerable.
6. Use a buddy system: During outside activities in hot weather, keep an eye on the conditions of your family, children, friends or co-workers, and have someone look out for you, too. If you are 65 or older, have a friend or relative call to check on you twice a day during a heat wave. Likewise, if you know someone in this age group, check on them frequently.
7. Stay indoors. If you don’t have to go outside, stay inside an air-conditioned place. If your home has no air conditioning, find a public place that does. A few hours spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you return to the heat. Taking cool showers or baths is also a good way to keep your body temperature cool if you don’t have air conditioning. Also, avoid using your stove and oven as they can significantly raise the temperature in your home.

Heat exhaustion occurs when a person is overexposed to heat, resulting in loss of body water and salt. Symptoms include weakness, heavy sweating, nausea, giddiness, dizziness, collapse, fatigue and cool, clammy, red or flushed skin. Those suffering from heat exhaustion should immediately go inside. Rest, drinking cool liquids and taking cool baths are recommended.

Heat stroke, the most severe heat-related illness, occurs when the body is unable to regulate its temperature. Temperatures may rise to 106 degrees Fahrenheit or higher within 10 to 15 minutes. If you suspect someone has had a heat stroke, call 911 immediately.

Heat-related illnesses, especially heat stroke, can stop a beating heart or cause permanent disability if emergency treatment is not provided quickly. Don’t let the hot weather spoil your summer. Keep your heart and body well by taking precautions in the heat.

MCG Health, Inc. (d/b/a MCGHealth) is a not-for-profit corporation operating the MCGHealth Medical Center, MCGHealth Children’s Medical Center, the Georgia Radiation Therapy Center, and related outpatient facilities and services throughout the state. For more information, please visit mcghealth.org.