Ark. health department issues heat advisory

The Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services has issued a heat advisory for the state.

Heat stress can be dangerous. Between 1979 and 2002, excessive heat exposure caused nearly 9,000 deaths in the U.S. Last year, the Department of Health received seven reports of people dying of heat stress in Arkansas. Humans shed excess heat through their skin and perspiration, and when humans gain more heat than they shed it can mean heat cramps, heat exhaustion or even a heat stoke. Though even healthy adults can be stricken, the elderly, very young children and people with health problems are the most vulnerable.

The temperature does not matter as much as the activities people are doing, said C.W. Siler, Director of Rehab and Sport Medicine at White County Medical Center. If someone is doing a strenuous activity, playing football for instance, when the temperature is in the low 90s it can create problems, Siler said.

“The primary danger is dehydration,” Siler said. “When you stop sweating you can’t cool yourself efficiently but you are still hot.”

Dehydration can lead to people passing out, and even neurological damage, Siler said.

To avoid falling prey to heat stress, people should drink water and replace salt lost in sweating with salt tablets or commercial drinks. They should also schedule strenuous activity during the coolest time of the day and monitor how they feel. Those who participate in strenuous activity for an hour or more during intense heat may lose up to two quarts of body water.

The best thing to drink during hot weather is water, Siler said. Alcohol and caffeine should be avoided, he said. Sports drinks are good in that they replace vital minerals lost in sweating, but too much can be detrimental, Siler said.

“You can actually overload your system with some minerals,” Siler said.

Siler tells coaches in the summer to alternate between water and sports drinks in order to avoid this problem.

Heat cramps cause prolonged muscular pain as a result of muscle spasm due to severe salt depletion due to heavy sweating. Treatment includes salt replacement, cooling down and a gentle massage.
source:ww.thedailycitizen.com