Triangle health pro explains why older people are more at risk in extreme heat
SURE TO US. AND ON THE RADIO
1.5 HD 3.
>> CHRIS, THANK YOU. THAT'S
TRIPLE DIGIT TEMPERATURES KICK
OFF OUR WEEK. HOSPITALS IN OUR
AREA ARE SEEING AN UPTICK IN
HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES. DOUBLE
YOUR RISK HAS COFFEE IS LIVE
AT UNC REX THIS MORNING TO
EXPLAIN WHAT YOU SHOULD WATCH
FOR. IF YOU ARE SPENDING SOME
TIME OUTSIDE TODAY. KELSEY.
>> YESTERDAY WE SPOKE WITH THE
HEAD OF THE EMERGENCY
DEPARTMENT HERE AT UNC, REX,
ABOUT HOW HEAT CAN IMPACT YOUR
HEALTH. HE IS THE NUMBER ONE
WEATHER-RELATED KILLER IN THE
COUNTRY NOW IS THIS JUST TOLD
US THAT THE HEAT INDEX COULD
REACH 115 DEGREES TODAY.
WE'RE JUST A FEW HOURS AWAY
FROM ANOTHER EXTREME HEAT
WARNING GOING INTO EFFECT.
YOU HAVE TO PROTECT YOURSELF
FROM THESE DANGEROUSLY HIGH
TEMPERATURES. HERE ARE SOME OF
THE SIGNS OF HEAT STROKE,
CONFUSION, DIZZINESS, AND
PASSING OUT. SO IF YOU OR
SOMEONE YOU LOVE IS
EXPERIENCING ANY OF THOSE
SYMPTOMS, CALL 9-1-1, DR.
RYAN LAMB WITH UNC REX. AS
OLDER ADULTS CAN BE MORE AT
RISK FOR HEAT STROKE. HERE'S
WHY.
>> AS PEOPLE GET OLDER IN
PARTICULAR, OUR ABILITY TO COOL
ITSELF, OUR BODY'S ABILITY
DOESN'T WORK AS WELL. IT'S A
VERY COMPLEX INTERACTION
BETWEEN YOUR NERVES, YOUR BLOOD
VESSELS, YOU MUSCLE, YOUR
BREATHING AND ALL THE FLOW OF
YOUR BLOOD.
>> CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE
PREEXISTING CONDITIONS LIKE
DIABETES IN COPD ARE ALSO MORE
AT RISK FOR THESE HEAT RELATED
ILLNESSES. DOCTOR LAM SAYS THAT
THE MOST CASES THAT THEY SEE
WITH HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES ARE
WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE THOSE
PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS.