A dozen patients a day seen for heat exhaustion at WakeMed as dangerous heatwave continues
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Extreme heat is sending more people to the hospital and WakeMed is seeing about a dozen cases of heat exhaustion a day. Doctors said the most vulnerable populations are older folks and kids.
"The elderly and children are more subject to heat-related illness in general, but people that have medical problems or are taking multiple medications can be subject to that as well," said Dr. Graham Snyder, a WakeMed Emergency Room physician.
Signs of heat exhaustion can show up as sweating, headache, nausea and vomiting.
According to Snyder, confusion is one of the early signs of heat stroke and needs to be treated immediately.
Staying hydrated is critical.
"Adequate access to water and ideally something with salt and sugar. Even better than water is Gatorade, Pedialyte, or Powerade. All those things replenish what you're very rapidly losing in the heat," said Dr. Snyder.
Wake Med said they have treated 30 cases of heat-related illness since Friday. As of 2:30 p.m. Monday afternoon, the hospital treated two cases.
"If they are able to drink, great," said Dr. Snyder. "If they are not, we place an IV in to rehydrate them. Sometimes, we have to take more aggressive steps like packing armpits and groin with icepacks. In the most critical of illness, sometimes we place intravascular devices to cool them down to a stable temperature."
If you want to treat someone for heat exhaustion before heading to the hospital, get them out of the sun. Medical professionals said to coat them with water to cool them off and make sure they are hydrated.
