Texas A&M AgriLife shares details on heat exhaustion and heatstroke

TEXAS (KAUZ) - With summer being a great time to enjoy the outdoors, extreme heat can quickly become dangerous.

Extreme heat causes hundreds of deaths and thousands of emergency department visits in the U.S. each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Texas A&M AgriLife is warning that summertime conditions could make Texans more susceptible to heat exhaustion, which can lead to life-threatening heatstroke if not taken seriously.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialists explain that Heat exhaustion happens when your body loses too much water or salt, usually through excessive sweating.

Debra Kellstedt, DrPH, with Texas A&M AgriLife, said that your body naturally cools itself during physical activity by sweating. However, she said, cases of extreme heat and high humidity can make it difficult to cool down fast enough through sweat.

Texas A&M AgriLife shared the following as heat exhaustion symptoms:

• Exhaustion or weakness
• Agitation
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Cold, pale and clammy skin
• Tingling skin
• Fast, weak pulse
• Fast, shallow breathing
• Heavy sweating
• Nausea
• Muscle cramps

Symptoms often develop gradually during prolonged exposure to heat or physical activity and should never be ignored.

AgriLife experts shared that heat exhaustion is a serious heat-related illness that can progress to heatstroke if not recognized and treated promptly.

The CDC reports that heatstroke is the most severe heat-related illness and can happen when someone’s temperature rises above 103 degrees. During heatstroke, the body can reach 106 degrees or higher within 15 minutes.

Michael Lopez, DrPH, with Texas A&M AgriLife, advises doing the following if you experience heat exhaustion symptoms:

• Sip cool water.
• Loosen tight clothing.
• Apply cool, wet cloths to the head, face and chest.
• Move to a shaded or air-conditioned area, if possible.
• Heatstroke symptoms
• Seek medical attention if your temperature reaches 103 degrees or higher and you experience any heatstroke symptoms, which include:

According to Texas a&M AgriLife and the CDC, some people are more likely to develop heat-related illnesses, including:

• Older adults
• Outdoor workers
• Athletes
• Babies and young children
• Pregnant women
• People with medical conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and obesity

While many associate heat-related illnesses with outdoor activities, they can also occur in spaces without adequate cooling, like garages, warehouses, workshops and attics.

More on heat-related illnesses can be found in Texas A&M AgriLife’s “Heat exhaustion and heatstroke: What you need to know” by Torie Noellsch