The past couple years have seen unpleasantly hot summers in much of the country, with many states seeing heat waves ― and the blistering temperatures are expected to stick around.
At the very least, this type of weather makes it nearly impossible to hold outdoor events or complete routine activities like a daily run. In the worst cases, though, hot weather can be deadly, especially for older adults who are “more prone to get dehydrated more quickly in excessive heat,” said Dr. John Schumann, the Oklahoma-based executive medical director of Oak Street Health.
But there are a range of heat-related conditions that can impact anyone, like heat cramps, dehydration and passing out from the high temperatures. Another is heat exhaustion, which causes “thirst, fatigue ― you can even have mild changes in your mental status, like a little bit of confusion,” according to Dr. Martin Huecker, an emergency care doctor at UofL Health in Louisville, Kentucky…