Heat waves are the single most deadly natural disasters the nation faces each year, killing more people than hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, blizzards or extreme cold.
"If it had been anything else, we'd have called it a mass casualty event," Ebi said.
The deaths are even more distressing because they're preventable."There's no reason people should be dying in heat waves," she said.Heat kills when core body temperature, meaning the internal organs, such as the heart, liver, brain and blood, rises. Older people and those with underlying conditions such as diabetes, heart problems or lung disease, are especially at risk.
To cope, the body tries to move the heat away from the core by increasing sweating. This can lead to dehydration, which decreases blood volume and increases strain on the cardiovascular system. Fluid can build up in the lungs, causing cause acute respiratory distress.Heat exhaustion, the first phase, causes heavy sweat, nausea and possible vomiting and fainting. Blood vessels open up and the heart must work harder to pump. Fluid and salt are lost, leading to electrolyte changes.
"Cognitive and organ dysfunction can persist for years following injury and render the injured individual at two to three-times greater risk of death for decades after injury," according to a report on the health risks of extreme heat in the medical journalWhile hot temperatures kill through heat exhaustion and heat stroke, they can also contribute to deaths from heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular disease, according to aThose, rather than heat, can be what's listed on the...
in the journal Environmental Epidemiology estimated an average of 5,609 deaths attributable to heat each year. , shows real-time data on excessive heat warnings. In the past 30 days, 61 million Americans were under heat alerts.
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