---
title: "Understanding Heat-related Illness: How to Stay Safe as Temperatures Rise"
url: "https://arizonacollege.edu/blog/understanding-heat-related-illness/"
type: post
date_published: 2024-08-01
date_modified: 2025-08-01
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language: en-US
word_count: 1104
reading_time: 6 min
canonical: "https://arizonacollege.edu/blog/understanding-heat-related-illness/"
featured_image: "https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Somerset-Warner.webp"
categories:
  - Newsroom
---

# Understanding Heat-related Illness: How to Stay Safe as Temperatures Rise

[**AZ Big Media**](https://azbigmedia.com/lifestyle/understanding-heat-related-illness-how-to-stay-safe-as-temperatures-rise/)
, July 26, 2024_
Written By Somerset Warner
[Arizona College of Nursing – Salt Lake City](https://www.arizonacollege.edu/salt-lake-city-utah-nursing-school/)
Faculty

---

The current heat wave sweeping across the United States is bringing
record-breaking temperatures, posing serious health risks to individuals of all
ages and backgrounds. According to the
[CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7315a1.htm), more than 119,000
people visited emergency rooms for heat-related illnesses in 2023. As
temperatures continue to soar, it’s crucial to understand the potential dangers
which can result from prolonged exposure to high temperatures, how to recognize
heat-related illness, and measures to prevent heat-related illness and death.

## Types of Heat-Related Illnesses

**Dehydration:** Dehydration can be a serious heat-related illness. When you
lose more fluid than you take in, the body doesn’t have the water needed to
function properly. While thirst may be thought of as a key indicator of
dehydration, it is not always a reliable early indicator of the body’s need for
water. Additional signs of dehydration include fatigue, dizziness, headache, dry
lips and mouth, and heart palpitations or the feeling that your heart is
pounding. You may even experience swelling in the feet.

How much water is enough? The best way to prevent dehydration is to drink water
before you’re thirsty. Take water with you everywhere and drink it often.
Approximately 6 ounces of water every hour is an adequate amount for most
healthy people. When you feel thirsty, drink water right away. In addition to
drinking water, enjoying fresh fruits and vegetables helps to replace
electrolytes that may be diminished due to extreme heat.

When possible, schedule outdoor activities for the cooler parts of the day. In
preparation for a day out in the heat, hydrate before heading out for the day’s
activities. You should also wear loose-fitting clothing that is light in color
and remember your sunglasses, hat, and/or umbrella. Additionally, avoid
consuming alcohol within 24 hours of spending time in the heat as alcohol can
increase the risk of heat complications.

**Heat Exhaustion:** Dehydration can lead to serious heat-related illnesses like
heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion is the body’s response to an excessive loss of
water and salt, usually from excessive sweating. Those at highest risk for
developing heat exhaustion are the young, older adults, people with high blood
pressure, and those working in hot environments. But it can happen to anyone!

Profuse sweating, fatigue, weakness, dizziness, headache, muscle cramps,
paleness, irritability, nausea or vomiting, an elevated temperature, and
fainting are all symptoms of heat exhaustion. A person’s skin may also be cool
and clammy to the touch, accompanied by a fast and weak pulse with rapid,
shallow breathing.

If you or someone you are with begins to exhibit symptoms of heat exhaustion,
immediately seek medical care. If possible, move to a cooler area and take
frequent sips of water. Remove any unnecessary clothing, including shoes and
socks, and apply cold compresses to the head, face and neck.

**Heat Stroke:** Heat stroke is the most serious of all heat-related illnesses
and is a life-threatening emergency. In cases of heat stroke, the person is not
able to sweat enough to lower their body temperature and the body is unable to
cool down. The core body temperature rises rapidly, reaching 106°F or higher
within 10 to 15 minutes. This can cause damage to the brain and other vital
organs, resulting in permanent disability or death if the person does not
receive emergency treatment.

Symptoms of heat stroke include:

- A temperature of 103° F or higher.
- Lack of sweating.
- Red, hot, dry, or damp skin.
- Rapid bounding pulse.

Additionally, a person may experience slurred speech, headache, dizziness,
nausea, confusion, disorientation, agitation, and loss of consciousness.
Ultimately, if treatment is delayed, it can lead to permanent organ damage or
death.

If you suspect someone is suffering from heat stroke, call 911 immediately. Stay
with the person until emergency medical personnel arrive and take measures to
lower their body temperature quickly. Move the person to a cooler or shaded
area, remove outer clothing, shoes, and socks, and wet the remaining clothing
with cold water. Place cold, wet compresses and ice on the head, neck, armpits,
and groin. If possible, immerse the person in a bath of cold or ice water, as
this has been proven to be the most effective way of quickly lowering core body
temperature.

## Other Heat-Related Complications

**Heat Cramps:** Heat cramps usually occur because of excessive sweating during
strenuous activity. Sweating depletes the salt and moisture levels of the body.
Low levels of salt cause the muscles to cramp in the abdomen or legs. This
cramping can also be a sign of heat exhaustion.

**Heat Rash:** Excessive sweating during hot and humid weather can result in
skin irritation known as a heat rash. This rash appears as clusters of red
pimples or small blisters occurring in the groin, under the breasts, on the
neck, upper chest, or in the elbow creases.

**Heat Syncope:** Heat syncope is an episode of fainting or dizziness associated
with dehydration and/or lack of acclimatization to higher temperatures. These
episodes may occur after someone has been sitting too long or suddenly stands
after being in a sitting or lying position.

**Rhabdomyolysis:** Rhabdomyolysis, or rhabdo, is a condition associated with
prolonged physical exertion and heat stress that causes the rapid rupture,
breakdown, and death of muscle. The effects of the dying tissue can cause the
heart to beat irregularly, seizures, and damage the kidneys.

## Staying Vigilant

Don’t underestimate the seriousness of extreme heat. If you or someone you are
with begins to experience symptoms of any related illness or complication, stop
activities immediately and relax in a cool place. Rehydrate and avoid strenuous
activities for a few hours.

Staying safe during heat waves involves proactive measures to prevent
heat-related illnesses, how to recognize heat-related illness, and interventions
to treat heat-related illnesses. By being informed and prepared, we can protect
ourselves and our loved ones from the harmful effects of extreme heat.

---

_![Somerset Warner](https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Somerset-Warner.webp)![Somerset Warner](https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Somerset-Warner.webp)Author: Somerset Warner is an Assistant Professor at [Arizona College of Nursing](https://www.arizonacollege.edu/) and an experienced Medical/Surgical Nurse with a passion for nursing education. Her years of hands-on experience inform her teaching approach, and she thrives on helping students connect classroom theory to real-world patient care._

**Categories:** Newsroom