HEAT, in the U.S. kills more than any other natural disaster.

jay
Thu, May 22, 2003





In article ,
"Sue Alexandre" wrote:

Thank you for that great info! I know I've always HEARD the terms heat
exhaustion and heat stroke, but never figured it could happen to me. After
all, I see construction workers laboring for 10 hours a day in the extreme
heat, and I'm sure I didn't work harder than them. But you're right about
the brain fog - that was DEFINITELY present, and blurred my otherwise
normally "common sense" feature. I just kept thinking I would do ONE more
thing, THEN I would go cool down.
Sue

wrote in message
...
Just a little reminder to watch out for these. Also, keep an eye on
friends, family and neighbors as those suffering are not really able to
determine they have a problem. It causes brain fog. Found this on the net
(http://www.assumption.edu/HTML/Admin...vices/HEA.HTML). And dont
go
out ponding in the heat of the day. Be sure to have Gatorade or other
isotonic solutions in the house to drink.

HEAT STROKE AND HEAT EXHAUSTION

Heat stroke is always life-threatening. Heat exhaustion is a milder
condition than heat stroke. Both conditions occur most often on hot days
during physical activity. Anyone can have either condition, and either
condition can happen to older people even during such mild activity as
taking a walk.
In heat stroke, the person's temperature control system that causes
sweating stops working correctly. The body temperature rises so high that
brain damage and death will result if the person is not cooled quickly.
The
main signs of heat stroke are red or flushed skin; hot, dry skin, although
the person may have been sweating earlier, and extremely high body
temperature, often to 41 degrees C (106 degrees F.) There may be
dizziness,
nausea, headache, rapid pulse, and unconsciousness.
Heat exhaustion is much less dangerous than heat stroke. The major signs
of
heat exhaustion are pale, clammy skin, profuse perspiration, and extreme
tiredness or weakness. The body temperature is approximately normal. The
person may have a headache and may vomit.
Here are the most important differences between the signs of heat stroke
and heat exhaustion.

* HEAT STROKE: skin hot and dry, and very high body temperature.
* HEAT EXHAUSTION: skin cool and wet from sweating, and normal body
temperature

Cool a person of heat stroke quickly. If the body temperature is not
brought down fast, permanent brain damage or death will result. Soak the
person in cool but not cold water, sponge the body with rubbing alcohol or
cool water, or pour water on the body to reduce the temperature to a safe
level - about 39 degrees C (102 degrees F). Then stop cooling and observe
the person for 10 minutes. If the temperature starts to rise again, cool
the person again. Do not give coffee, tea or alcoholic beverages. When the
person's temperature remains at a safe level, put the person to bed and
get
medical help.
For mild heat exhaustion, provide bed rest. Give a salt solution (1/2 tsp
salt - about 2 "pinches" - in a glass of water) every 15 minutes for 3 or
4
doses. Medical care is needed for severe heat exhaustion.
It may be hard to remember the names of the two conditions, but it should
be easy to remember this: A person who is very hot and not sweating (HEAT
STROKE) must be cooled off quickly, but a person who is sweating, has a
normal temperature, and is tired (HEAT EXHAUSTION) needs rest but does not
need to be cooled off so vigorously



--

Legend insists that as he finished his abject...
Galileo muttered under his breath: "Nevertheless, it does move."