On Thursday September 5th, 16 members of the Science & Technology group met at Loder Hall, Maidwell, to hear from one of our own members, Ray Bradfield, about the seriousness of heat exhaustion leading to heat stroke. We heard about its causes and prevention, particularly in the elderly, and all were surprised at the outcome of being exposed to the sun for a relatively short time, during a period of exertion.
Moving from a temperate area such as the UK to a hotter area of the continent can cause heat stress to build quickly if a period of gradual acclimatization is not undertaken.
Age, fitness and medication can all affect the way the body reacts to heat. The hypothalamus located in the brain is, among other functions, responsible for controlling the body's temperature, acting like a thermostat. It signals the sweat glands. Evaporation of sweat is the body's cooling medium. Infection leads to fever we know, causing temperature to rise. However it is possible to become stressed by heat, suffering heat exhaustion, without having a fever. Exposure to direct sunlight and walking, climbing or running, ie over-exertion in the heat of the day without access to a constant supply of water will lead to dehydration and heat stress.
The heart tries to compensate by pumping harder and eventually confusion, dizziness and disorientation will signal the onset of heat stroke or hyperthermia which is a serious condition, difficult to recover from and can cause brain damage, organ failure and death.
Report by Colin Rowe