Elderly at Risk in Extreme Heat

With the recent heat wave, comes dangerous health risks.

The elderly are particularly susceptible to heat stroke and heat exhaustion, but Nurse Practitioner, Samantha Meek, said excessive heat exposure can also affect patients taking blood pressure medications.

“Just as a function of age, our bodies just don’t adapt to as quickly or as well as they used to to extremes in either hot or cold weather,” Meek said. “Heat exhaustion is the mildest form, that is when you start feeling dizzy when you stand up, if you start having headaches, if you start feeling nauseated, or even have some vomiting, then you should immediately get to a cool place.”

Severe dizziness, headaches, flushed skin and even confusion are possible signs of heat stroke. Meek said there are plenty of preventative measures you can take to avoid heat-related illness.

“If you have air conditioning at home, stay in the air conditioning, if you can go to the local library or something if you don’t have air conditioning, make sure you drink lots of fluids, avoid things that are going to dehydrate you, like soda or alcohol, those things are going to make you dehydrated, and just stay cool, wear light clothing that allows the sweat to evaporate don’t be over dressed.”

If not treated immediately, heat-related illness can potentially lead to cardiovascular collapse, renal failure and liver failure.