BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — We hope everyone got the chance to enjoy some of the recent cooler weather because the extreme heat is on its way. Increases in temperature also increase the risks of heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and hyperthermia.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 618 people die from extreme heat every year in the United States. Illnesses such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion are preventable with the right precautions.
Dr. Puja Vithalani, who practices family medicine for Kaiser Permanente, says educating yourself on the different solutions for certain issues could mean the difference between life and death for you or someone you care about.
"If somebody's lost consciousness or they're not protecting their airway, and you're trying to get them to drink water, they could easily choke on the water. They could not be able to swallow it correctly," cautioned Dr. Vithalani. "The key really is to contact medical care, so call 9-1-1. Get the ambulance out there."
Vithalani goes on to stress that with heat illnesses, prevention is the best policy.
"Heat stroke can happen in a couple minutes to a couple hours, but we won't know until it happens, so really, prevention is key for that," said Vithalani.
Find cooling centers in Kern County
Although heat stroke and heat exhaustion sound fairly similar, the CDC says they have different sets of symptoms and different solutions, but an increase in core body temperature, headache, dizziness, loss of consciousness, and vomiting are all common symptoms of both illnesses,
Dr. Vithalani says heat-related illnesses don't have a specific target, but there are groups of people who can be more susceptible to heat illnesses.
"Kids, babies, elderly, or those who have chronic medical conditions, who are maybe on medications like diuretics for their blood pressure," said Vithalani. "Those can make you go into heat stroke a lot faster."
Vithalani says drinking a Gatorade or other electrolyte hydration drink is ideal when trying to quickly rehydrate.
WHAT ARE ELECTROLYTES?
Electrolytes are mineral salts. They're found in both animal and vegetable foods. When you take them in, they help your body tissues absorb and retain water more efficiently, allowing for better hydration.
Something to look out for with electrolyte drinks is their sugar content. Some sports drinks have been tested as containing as much sugar per serving as Coca Cola.
You can also overdo it. Remember, electrolytes are salts, so too much can be just as dangerous as not enough.
Vithalani says that because frequent water intake is important during extreme heat events, there is a way to roughly estimate whether or not you're getting enough hydration over the course of a day.
"Kind of monitor your urine color," suggested Vithalani. "If the urine is very dark yellow, that means it's more concentrated. That means you need to drink more water, but if it's clear, like a light yellow or clear, then you know you're adequately hydrated."
Health officials want to remind the public to limit the amount of time they're spending outdoors during extreme heat. For the people who must go out, keeping water within reach and having some type of physical sun blocker like a solar shirt or a shade canopy is critical for weathering this summer heat wave and the ones we know will be on the way.
