PITTSBURGH — With the sweltering temperatures, Pittsburgh-area doctors anticipate seeing an uptick in heat-related illnesses over the next few days.
“When it comes to heat waves like this, we will see multiple patients a day that are affected by the heat,” Dr. Brent Rau said.
Doctor Brent Rau is the Medical Director for Allegheny General Hospital. He says medical professionals are prepared to see more patients suffering from heat-related illnesses, especially with upcoming events downtown for the 4th of July and Anthrocon.
“Especially Downtown, where there’s not that much air circulating between the buildings, and they walk from building to building. We see it every year where patients come in, ‘I only walked from here to a block over’ and they come in with profound heat exhaustion,” Dr. Rau said.
Doctors say it’s difficult to say exactly how long it takes for someone to be impacted by heat because it’s dependent on that person’s age and overall health.
“Excessive tiredness, sweating profusely, can’t stop sweating. Nauseous, vomiting. To the point where they feel like they’re so fatigued. Muscle cramps, those are reasons that you need to get out of the situation that you’re in and cool down,” he said.
The very young and very old are the most vulnerable because they have more difficulty regulating their body temperature.
“A small amount of time in a heavy heat like this can change things very quickly for them,” Dr. Rau said.
Dr. Rau says it’s also important to monitor alcohol consumption in extreme heat, because intoxication can make it harder to recognize signs of overheating.
The simplest and easiest way to help yourself in this kind of heat is to stay hydrated. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink water.
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