DALLAS, TX – As Dallas braces for its notorious summer heat, with temperatures frequently soaring above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, Parkland Health physicians are issuing a stark warning about the compounded dangers of strenuous physical activity and high humidity. These conditions, they caution, create a perilous environment ripe for heat-related illnesses.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tracks heat-related deaths nationwide, reporting around 1,220 fatalities annually due to extreme heat. However, the CDC notes that this figure can vary significantly year to year, with studies suggesting the actual number may be higher than what is officially reported on death certificates. The trend is alarming: heat-related deaths in the U.S. have more than doubled in the past quarter-century, increasing from approximately 1,100 in 1999 to a record high of 2,325 in 2023. The average annual heat-related deaths between 2004 and 2018 stood at 702.
Since 2015, Parkland Memorial Hospital's emergency department has treated over 420 patients with heat-related diagnoses, underscoring the immediate health risks posed by even short periods of high temperatures.
“Doing too much on a hot day, spending too much time in the sun or staying too long in an overheated place can cause heat-related illnesses,” explained Jeffery Metzger, MD, Chief of Emergency Services at Parkland and Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Metzger highlighted that while construction workers, highway crews, and landscapers are often top of mind, first responders also face significant risks.
Firefighters, for instance, operate under extreme conditions, including intense heat and smoke, while wearing heavy, insulative, and restrictive protective gear designed to withstand fire. This environment drastically increases the risk of heat-related issues, as temperatures inside their gear can far exceed what the body can normally tolerate, exponentially impacting fluid loss.
“Working in extreme environments, firefighters understand the critical need to maintain hydration long before they arrive at the scene of an emergency,” stated Scott Pacot, Assistant Chief of Operations for Dallas Fire-Rescue. “Firefighters are encouraged to be aware of extreme weather as well as properly hydrate before, during and after any emergency incident.”
Understanding Heat Exhaustion vs. Heat Stroke: Symptoms, Dangers, and Treatment
Parkland physicians emphasize the crucial distinction between heat exhaustion and heat stroke, with the latter posing an immediate, life-threatening emergency.
Heat Exhaustion:
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What it is: Occurs when the body loses fluids and becomes dehydrated due to exposure to high temperatures.
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Symptoms: General signs of dehydration, including thirst, heavy sweating, cold, pale, clammy skin, muscle cramps, tiredness, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea, and fainting.
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Dangers: If left untreated, heat exhaustion can elevate to heat stroke.
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Treatment: Move to a cooler environment, loosen clothing, sip water, apply cool, wet cloths to the skin. Seek medical attention if symptoms worsen or last longer than an hour.
Heat Stroke:
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What it is: A life-threatening medical condition where the body’s cooling system (controlled by the brain) fails. The resulting dangerously high body temperature causes damage to internal organs, including the brain, and can lead to death.
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Symptoms: Characterized by a body temperature over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, red, warm, and dry skin (lack of sweating), fast breathing and heart rate, vomiting, muscle cramps, confusion or disorientation, and potentially coma. Thirst is also a common symptom.
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Dangers: This is a medical emergency that can result in permanent disability or death if not treated immediately.
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Treatment: “If you see any of the warning signs of heat stroke, you may be dealing with a life-threatening emergency,” Dr. Metzger cautioned. "Have someone call 911 for immediate medical assistance while you begin cooling the victim.”
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Get the victim to a shady area.
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Cool the victim rapidly using whatever methods possible, but avoid an ice bath. Examples include a cool shower, spraying with cool water from a garden hose, sponging with cool water, or, if humidity is low, wrapping the victim in a cool, wet sheet and fanning vigorously.
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Monitor body temperature and continue cooling efforts until the body temperature drops to 101-102 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Do not give the victim fluids to drink if they are very confused or unconscious.
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If there is vomiting, turn the victim on his or her side to keep the airway open.
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As Dallas summers continue to intensify, residents are urged to take these warnings seriously and prioritize heat safety to protect themselves and those around them.
