Mather ER Doc: Beat the Heat With Water and Electrolytes

With the temperature going up to 90 degrees and an air quality health advisory issued by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), we sought out a doctor at Mather to help us understand the effects of the heat on the body and how to keep healthy.

Dr. Mitchell Pollack, the Medical Director of the Emergency Department at Mather Hospital said that the intense heat is not a big problem for most people except the elderly. He said that with a little preventive action, you can enjoy the outdoors and stop any damaging effects from the heat on your body.

“When these heat waves most of the fatalities are with older patients,” said Dr. Pollack. They are at the greatest risk.”

He said that they might not be aware of their own symptoms because the perception in older people of the heat is not as good as with others. They might also be on medication like water pills that can dehydrate them.

“Absolutely one of the most important things people can do to help is to check in on the elderly,” Dr. Pollack suggested.

While he said that in his experience the numbers of people who end up in the emergency room because of the heat aren’t very large he did have some recommendations for the public.

Effects of heat can come in three diagnoses as a progressive illness.

The first is heat cramps.

“As a part of your body getting dehydrated you may have muscle spasms and loss of electrolytes,” he said.

People most at risk are the ones stressing their bodies in the heat by exercising, doing hard work or drinking alcohol–because alcohol dehydrates the body.

For construction workers who work outside in the sun and heat Dr. Pollack suggests taking frequent breaks. He also suggests trying to stay in the shade and coming to work prepared with water and electrolyte replacement in the form of sports drinks.

Next is heat exhaustion. 

Dr. Pollack said that measuring the body temperature would show it to be above normal at this stage. One of the causes is worsening dehydration and signs include nausea and vomiting. Early symptoms also include fatigue, thirst, light-headedness and profuse sweating.

If the patient came in to the emergency room at this point he would give them water and electrolyte replacement through IV. At home, drinking water to hydrate and sports drinks to replace electrolytes will help.

The most severe end of spectrum is heat stroke.

“This is potentially life threatening,” Dr. Pollack said.

The body temperature is very high and a person’s mental status can change.

“You get confusion or other signs of altered mental status,” he said. “That’s pretty rare but it’s what happened to those football players who die in training camp.”

It can also result in kidney failure.

The DEC issued an Ozone warning for Long Island on Wednesday that will last from 2 p.m. until 10 p.m. Dr, Pollack said that the best way to beat the effects of ozone in the heat is to stay indoors with the air conditioning on.

“There’s no great way to prevent that kind of problem if you’re outdoors,” he said.

If you don’t have air conditioning Dr. Pollack suggested one idea to help.

“A poor man’s way to cool is to spritz with water and focus a fan on yourself,” he said. "The evaporation will cool the body.”

This technique is sometimes used in the emergency room in some of the severe cases.

Dr. Pollack said that there are basics to keeping cool when the temperature goes up this high. Dressing lightly and using cotton or fabrics that breath will help.

“Use air conditioning and stay inside,” he said. “Keep yourself well hydrate.”