My colleague @Gabi Redford recently published an article for AAMCNews on advances in treating heat stroke. Her article includes a few important tips we all can be mindful of this summer, particularly as we go on outdoor vacation adventures:
When body temperature rises—from either the environment or exercise—the body compensates in two ways: by increasing blood flow to the skin and by producing eccrine sweat, which evaporates into the air, transferring that heat back into the environment. These scenarios, however, can be dangerous because they prevent the body from regulating that temperature effectively:
- Excessively humid conditions: In warm, humid conditions, sweat may not evaporate as well, which could cause the body to retain some of that excess heat. Any rise in core body temperature can have deleterious effects, from heat exhaustion to heat stroke.
- Excessive sweating: Periods of prolonged sweating can result in dehydration and a loss of blood volume. Since greater blood volume is needed to pump excess heat to the skin and out of the body, a loss in blood volume can result in higher core temperatures.
- Preexisting cardiovascular disease: All the mechanisms involved in cooling the body put a strain on the heart, as the left ventricle has to work extra hard to pump blood to the skin. The elderly and those with heart disease may find themselves quickly overwhelmed; in fact, most of those who die during heat waves actually succumb to cardiovascular disease.
The Wilderness Medicine Society updated its “Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Heat Illness” in 2019. This serves as a how-to guide for treating heat illness outside the hospital.
The GOES Health: Global Outdoor Emergency Support app, developed by a physician, offers on-demand wilderness medical support to help people prepare for outdoor activities and make emergency decisions when off the grid.
I know there are many outdoor adventure enthusiasts here in this community. Do you have any other tips for heat stroke prevention to add?
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Nicole Buckley
Communications Strategist
Association of American Medical Colleges
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