St. Ann's Community

Ask St. Ann’s – Tips for Hot Summer Days

Tips for Hot Summer Days

By Kim Ziegler, MS, RN, Director of Education at St. Ann’s Community.

For adults ages 50+, heat-related illnesses could be a matter of life and death. Here are warning signs of overheating, and what we can do to protect ourselves:


Warning Signs
Dehydration:
Loss of water in the body
Weakness
Headache
Muscle cramps
Dizziness or fainting
Confusion
Heat Stroke:
Dangerous rise in body temp; can be deadly
Body temp of ≥ 103°
Red, hot, dry skin
Fast pulse
Headache
Dizziness or fainting
Nausea or vomiting
Confusion
Heat Exhaustion:
Serious problem caused by too much heat and dehydration; can lead to heat stroke
Heavy sweating OR no sweating
Muscle cramps
Tiredness
Weakness
Pale, cold, clammy skin
Dizziness or fainting
Headache
Nausea or vomiting
Fast, weak pulse
Heat Syncope:
Dizziness or fainting caused by high temps
Dizziness or fainting


What should we do?

Preventative measures: