Good advice for everyone. And KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR YOUR ELDERLY NEIGHBORS!! In Atlanta some of the police are going around door to door checking on elderly citizens and taking them water and making sure they are handling the heat ok.SYLVESTER: So, what's the best way to stay safe in temperatures that can be deadly? For some answers, here's Dr. Bill Lloyd, who joins us now from Dallas, a city that's sizzling in near 100-degree heat. So Dr. Lloyd, aside from a bad case of sunburn, how do the high temperatures stress our healthy bodies?
DR. BILL LLOYD, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS MEDICAL CENTER: Well, Lisa, every part of the body tries to help the body stay cool when the temperatures rise. The body wants to increase the circulation just like the radiator in a car to make lots of perspiration to keep you cool. That means organs like your kidneys which you normally wouldn't normally associate with high temperature may be stressed. So people with high blood pressure or kidney problems have to be extra careful. The same is true for the brain, the same is true for the heart, you've got to be extra careful when the temperatures rises.
SYLVESTER: And a headache, I understand, could be one of the first signs of a heat related illness of some sort?
LLOYD: Very, very important tip there, Lisa. Especially in children who rarely complain of headaches. If you've got a headache and the temperature's up, it can be a very dangerous warning sign that you're about to have a heat injury. So, if you sense a headache, get inside, wipe yourself down, get cool in a nice air conditioned room and drink plenty, plenty of fluids.
SYLVESTER: Small children, older folks. We've often heard that they are particularly susceptible to the heat. Who else needs to take extra precautions?
LLOYD: It's a very, very big group. You already mentioned the young and old, those under 4 and those over 65. But the overweight are already stressing their vascular system. They need to lay low when the weather gets hot. People with entirety problems, because the ozone gets high and they could have breathing problems. There is many prescription medications that can cause problems in people stuck outside in hot weather. And anyone who's had a previous heat injury, heat stress, heat cramps, heatstroke, is automatically a setup for a repeat injury if they get out in that hot temperature.
SYLVESTER: You mentioned medications. Give us some examples.
LLOYD: Well, the most common medication used in America is alcohol. If you're drinking beer by the poolside, you'd better be careful because it can cause you to be dehydrated. But plenty of other prescription medications. Things like sleeping pills, people who have Parkinson's disease that are taking medication, people with intestinal problems, diarrhea, irritable bowel, all of those medications can be lethal if you're taking them and stuck outside in the heat. So ask your doctor or pharmacist, hey, will this medication cause a problem if I'm outside on a nice hot day for a picnic?
SYLVESTER: When the temperature rises, does your body care if it's dry heat versus humid heat?
LLOYD: Well, when it's extra humid, we talk about something called the wet bulb. The body senses it's actually hotter than it is. And when it does, it turns out lots of perspiration. Well, that's good as long as you have plenty of fluid onboard. Outside in the dry heat you probably do perspire as much or do not sense that you're perspiring as much because it evaporates. In either situation, when it gets over 85 degrees, find yourself a nice bottle of water.
SYLVESTER: So, what are some smart ways, if you absolutely have to be outdoors for a period of time, what precautions can someone take?
LLOYD: Well, the first one is proper coverage. That could be a hat, loose-fitting clothing, lots of sun block. Employ the buddy system. If you're going to be out working on the roof or playing golf, go with someone else. You check on them and they check on you and each makes sure the other takes plenty of water.
Take frequent breaks whenever you're doing any kind of task outside and be sure to replenish the fluids. That's two to four glasses every hour. The more activity, the more water you need. Remember the headache, and if you don't feed the need to urinate, you're probably not drinking enough. And then finally, employ plenty of common sense. When you've had enough, get indoors, cool off and watch CNN.
Love,
Sally
