Heat stroke no joke, says Suttorp

By Lethbridge Herald on July 12, 2022.

Herald photo by Al Beeber A construction worker at the Agri-Food Hub uses a hammer on a hot July afternoon Tuesday. Southern Albertans can expect temperatures to stay warm the rest of the week with highs of 34 on Friday and Saturday and 31 Sunday.

Ry Clarke – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Alberta Health Services is encouraging all residents to take precautions to avoid heat related illnesses during extreme conditions. 

A heat warning can be issued in Alberta when forecasts predict two or more consecutive days of daytime temperatures reaching 32 degrees, and 16 degrees at night. Alberta Health Services is hoping to keep residents safe while still enjoying their summer by cautioning the amount of exposure they can handle before suffering illness. 

Doctor Vivien Suttorp, Medical Officer of Health with AHS, said Tuesday that those going out should take precautions to help avoid heat-stroke. 

“Wearing sunscreen, with an SPF 30 or greater, ideally that’s applied 20 minutes prior to going out in the sun, and re-applied every two hours. Again, that depends on if you’re getting wet from swimming, or sweating. It’s important to protect your eyes, your retina as well with sunglasses that protect your eyes from UV rays.”

Infants, youths, and elderly have a harder time maintaining body temperatures due to metabolic rates and an inability to control their environments. Family and friends should check in with those at-risk individuals ensuring they are able to get plenty of hydration and are sheltering from direct sunlight. Hydration is a great prevention from heat related illness, but you should avoid caffeinated and alcoholic beverages as they can accelerate dehydration.

Recognizing the early signs of heat injury will help avoid serious illness and save residents a trip to the hospital. Feelings of fatigue, nausea, headache, clamminess, and excessive sweating are the major signs of heat injury. If you are feeling these symptoms, you should avoid direct sunlight and seek shade, and hydrate. 

Dr Suttorp also adds “This can progress and sometimes pretty quickly to heat stroke. That’s actually when people stop sweating. They can lose consciousness, they can even have seizures and/or die. Its very important to recognize if someone is having heat exhaustion, and manage that quickly before it gets worse.”

Individuals on certain medications are also advised to take precautions during heat warnings. Certain medications can cause accelerated dehydration and cause side effects. Diabetics are among those more susceptible and should take extra precautions before heading out. 

Dr Suttorp notes “Anybody with chronic conditions and are on certain medications need to take extra precaution. Similarly to young children who may not have the same body temperature regulation abilities, they do not sweat as much as adults do, and similarly as seniors.”

Taking precautions during hot weather is the best preventive measure to avoid heat related illness and serious injury. When going out always check to make sure you have plenty of water and apply sunscreen periodically throughout the day if you are spending long amounts of time outdoors. 

The City of Lethbridge is monitoring the extreme heat warnings advising residents with helpful tips to stay safe and working with groups in and around the city to help distribute water to those in need.