How to Cope with Excessive Heat

A video of Dr Jesse Bracamonte at the Mayo Clinic’s website makes these practical suggestions.

Heat can quickly put elderly and sick people at risk of serious illnesses like stomach cramps, lightheadedness, nausea, and strokes. Excessive heat with high humidity increases the temperature of your core body, hampering its ability to sweat, potentially triggering exhaustion and heat stroke.

The body’s normal tolerance for heat is reduced when humidity increases.  Normally, when the body’s temperature reaches 104º, the stroke threshold, you are at risk.

There is no medical data available for a specific temperature-humidity threshold that triggers strokes. Here are some relevant findings:

• Here's how high humidity can contribute to stroke risk:

  • Dehydration: High humidity slows down the evaporation of sweat, making it harder for the body to cool down. This can lead to excessive sweating and dehydration, reducing blood volume and making the blood thicker and more likely to clot.

  • Increased Blood Pressure: Humidity can cause blood vessels to constrict, leading to elevated blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for strokes.

  • Strain on the Cardiovascular System: The heart has to work harder in humid conditions to maintain a normal body temperature, placing stress on the cardiovascular system. 

• While a specific "threshold" for stroke risk with high humidity hasn't been established, studies highlight the following:

  • Elevated Dew Points: A study found that each 5-degree increase in the dew point (humidity) raised the risk of stroke hospitalization by 2 percent.

  • High Humidity and Temperature: Research suggests that the greatest risks for blood pressure and heart issues occur when the temperature is above 70°F and the humidity is more than 70%.

Dr. Bracamonte makes this recommendation: stay cool in a shaded place, drink plenty of water, and even sports drinks that contain electrolytes.   

Be particularly cautious if you take blood pressure medicines and antihistamines like Claritin.

Even the young and the healthy should avoid unnecessarily putting themselves at risk of overheating their body.

A middle-aged man took a long bike ride during the hottest part of the day, returned home, and took a shower.  His wife found him dead.

ER departments throughout the Southeast are reporting a rise in the number of heat stroke victims coming for treatment.

Despite all the warnings, many continue to say that they do not need to take precautions.  Why take that chance?