A heat wave is building and could reach dangerous levels in parts of the Midwest, the Plains and the Southeast this week.Fifteen states are under heat advisories, which means temperatures are expected to exceed 105 degrees Fahrenheit.Kansas City and St. Louis in Missouri are under an excessive heat warning, along with Tulsa, Oklahoma; Memphis, Tennessee; and Evansville, Indiana. In these areas, the heat index, or how hot the body feels due to the combined effects of heat and humidity, will reach between 110 and 115 degrees this week.
Here are some Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke Overview and prevention.
Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke Overview
Heat exhaustion: This condition often occurs when people exercise (work or play) in a hot, humid place and body fluids are lost through sweating, causing dehydration and overheating of the body. The person's temperature may be elevated, but not above 104 F (40 C).
Heat stroke: Heat stroke, also referred to as heatstroke or sun stroke, is a life-threatening medical condition. The person's cooling system, which is controlled by the brain, stops working and the internal body temperature rises to the point at which brain damage or damage to other internal organs may result (temperature may reach 105 F or greater [40.5 C or greater]).
Nearly 700 people die each year due to heat-related illness, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Avoid heat exhaustion by not engaging in strenuous activity in hot, humid environments; and stay hydrated as prevention is the key.
Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke Causes
Heat exhaustion is typically caused when people who are not well adjusted to heat exercise or work in a hot, humid environment.
At high temperatures, the body cools itself largely through evaporation of sweat.
When it is very humid, this mechanism does not work properly.
The body loses a combination of fluids and salts (electrolytes).
When this is accompanied by an inadequate replacement of fluids, disturbances in the circulation may result that are similar to a mild form of shock.
Heat stroke may often develop rapidly.
Medical conditions or medications that impair the body's ability to sweat may predispose people to this problem.
Heat stroke happens in the following two ways:
The classic form occurs in people whose cooling mechanisms are impaired.
The exertional form occurs in previously healthy people who are undergoing strenuous activity in a hot environment.
Infants, children under the age of 4, the overweight, and the elderly are more likely to have this problem, as are those who are taking antihistamines and certain types of medication for high blood pressure, heart disease, or depression.
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