Preventing Heat-Related Emergencies

• Focuses on preventing heat-related emergencies.
• Role in educating athletes and others on heat illness prevention.

Populations at Risk for Heat-Related Illness

• Athletes with larger muscle mass require more metabolic activity, producing excess heat

• Overweight athletes' increased adipose tissue and muscle mass insulate the body, worsening heat retention

• Untrained athletes or those unaccustomed to activity require more effort, increasing heat production

• A previous occurrence of heat illness makes future heat illness more likely

• Children have immature thermoregulatory systems and fewer sweat glands

• Children often drink less water unless prompted

• Comorbidities affect blood flow and heat stress tolerance in elderly/mature athletes

• Elderly/mature athletes have a reduced capacity to manage heat stress

• Knowing at-risk populations is critical for effective prevention and education strategies

Definition of Heat Stress

• Heat stress is how heat from the external environment impacts internal temperature.
• External heat combined with exercise leads to a rapid increase in core temperature.

Body's Response to Heat

• The body works to dissipate heat to maintain homeostasis.
• Sweating is a primary mechanism in maintaining homeostasis.
• Some populations, like those with cervical spinal cord injuries, may have impaired sweating, increasing their risk.

Prevention of Heat-Related Illness

• Heat-related illness is preventable with proper measures
• Key prevention strategies include identifying risk factors in advance, taking steps to keep body temperatures low, and close monitoring of environmental and activity conditions.

Mechanisms of Heat Dissipation

• Metabolic heat is produced by muscle contraction and other metabolic activities in the body.
• Conduction is heat transferred via direct contact, like the heat absorbed through feet contacting the ground.
• Convection is heat loss/gain via airflow or water movement, such as wind blowing around the body or water temperature affecting body temperature; similar to a convection oven circulating air to maintain steady heat
• Radiant heat is heat gained from external sources, like the sun or a fire and does not require direct contact for transfer
• Evaporation is the most effective heat dissipation method for athletes, where sweat transfers heat to the skin surface and it is then lost through evaporation

Challenges with Heat Dissipation

• High humidity makes evaporation less effective due to water saturation in the air.
• At 65% humanity, evaporation is impaired.
• At 75% humidity, evaporation stops, posing a serious risk.
• Dry climates like Arizona are more tolerable compared to humid areas.
• Need to monitor humidity levels during outdoor and indoor training sessions.

Hydration Considerations

• The body loses approximately 1 quart of water (4 cups) every 1-2 hours during exercise
• Replace water lost to maintain functionality and prevent dehydration.

Preventing Heat Illness

• Stay hydrated is a key strategy
• It's critical but often challenging, depending on the environment and activity level
• Essential for maintaining body function and preventing heat stress.
• Daily water requirement for minimal activity: 2-2.5 liters
• Athletes may lost 1-1.5 liters per hour during intense exercise with regular physical activity
• Athletes who sweat heavily ("aggressive sweaters") need to replenish water frequently

Awareness

• Understanding hydration needs is vital for preventing rapid water loss and associated heat-related illnesses.
• Requires 2-2.5L of water daily when engaged in minimal activity
• Adult typically loses approx. 1.5L per hour
• 1-2% drop in body weight (due to dehydration) results in thirst
• If thirst is ignored, dehydration results

Impact of Dehydration on Performance

• Any body weight loss due to dehydration triggers the thirst mechanism
• Relying on thirst as a cue means only about 50% of lost water is replaced
• It is important to drink water before becoming thirsty
• Athletes need to drink water before they feel thirsty.
• Waiting until thirsty can lead to a decreased performance and inability to effectively manage heat stress
• Proactive Hydration ensures a better performance and helps mitigate heat-related risks

Importance of Pre-Activity Hydration

• Athletes need to be hydrated before starting activity, maintaining it for 24 hours before participation, especially with frequent practice schedules
• Drink 17-20 fl oz of water or a sports drink with electrolytes 2-3 hours before activity
• Drink an additional 7-10 fl oz of water or sports drink 10-20 minutes before
• Track urine colors
• Light or pale urine indicated god hydration, darker indicates dehydration.
• For easy reference, 8 fl oz = 1 coup
• Fluids should be consumed at regular intervals to maintain hydration throughout the day and before activities

Consequences of Dehydration

• Mild dehydration (2% body weight loss) impairs the cardivascular system, thermoregulatory system, motor performance
• Serious health risk, athletes should not participate in this state. Progression of Dehydration Symptoms
• Early signs: thirst, dizziness, dry mouth
• Severe Symptoms: nausea, vomiting, fainting, irritability, fatigue, muscle crabs
• Dehydration increases Risk of Heat Illness
• Early signs can quickly escalate, and the symptoms make athletes vulnerable to heat-related emergencies

Monitoring Hydration Levels

• Measure weight before and after practice
• Goal return to the same base weight within 24 hours through hydration
• Constant weight loss due to dehydration is a red flag for health and performance
• Sweat collection uses pads to collect sweat during exercise, determining if the athlete is a salty sweater, and develop individualized hyration protocols based on sweat analysis
• Regular monitoring and personalized hydration strategies are essential for athlete safety and performance

Hydration Options for Athletes

• Water is generally sufficent for most activities
• Sports drinks are recommended for high-intensity actitvites costing over an hour
• Sports drinks provide essential electrolytes and carbohydrates
• Electrolytes in the ingredients vary by brand typically include sodium to help retain water
• The optimal amount is 14g of carbs per 8 fl oz water.
• Consider electrolytes needs based on activity type; like a Tournament-style sports game which will need higher electrolyte intake. Sports Drinks can provide Flavor Variety;
• Making drinking more appealing compared to plain water, and aids in drinking to be more hydrated. Different sports and athletes require personalized hydration plans; Specific hydration routines might have use of gels instead of liquids for easier digestion during running

Four Stages of Hyperthermia

• Stages can move through rapidly if not treated, crucial are early recognition and intervention.
• General causes include dehydration, electrolyte loss, and failure of heat dissipation

Stages of Hyperthermia

• Heat Cramps are muscle cramps due to electrolyte imbalance.
• Heat Syncope is caused by fainting or dizziness from heat exposure.
• Heat Exhaustion is a serious stage which require immediate attention
• Heat Stroke is a medical emergency, life-threatening from needing urgent medical intervention.

Heat Stoke

• It is the most critical stage.
• Immediate medical assistance is required to prevent sever health or death

Heat Syncope

• It is the feeling of fatigue or feeling of faininting after heat exposure in a hot envrionment.
• Often occurs when the body cannot cool itselt effectively.
• Symptoms involves Feeling faint or dizzy & Potential for actual fainting
• Perpheral Vasodilation of blood pooling in extremitties.
• Reduced blood flow to the brain.
• Insufficient oxygen reaching the brain, the causes lightheadedness.
• Standing in heat for long periods.
• Exercising in hot conditions and stress

Immedaite response includes:

• Laying down of person to reduce risk injuries from fainting.
• Moving to a cooler enviroment to Lower Body Temperature
• Drinking cool fluids to have Hydration and Cooling.
• Elevation of Legs to Encouage Blood Flow Back to the Core and Brain.
• Preventions of secondary complications for injuries of falling down.

Heat Cramps

• Painful muscle spasms caused by excessive sweating and electrolye loss during intense activity
• Commonly affected muscles: calf mucles and abdominal muscles
• Its Caused by Water loss loss and Key Electrolytes of Sodium Potassium Magensium and Calcium
• Electrolye imbalance disrupts normal muscle contractions

Immedaite Response Treatment Includes:

• Fluid intestion helps replenish water and electrolytes.
• Assited stretching can help relieve muscle spasma
• Ice Application to break cramps can cause be uncofortable

Severity and returning:

• Cramp can be agrressive and Visibily noticeable, it can be extremely painful for Athletes.
• Athletes may return to play after treatment, but monitored closely to help precent quick progression.

Heat Exhaustion

• Results from inadequate fluid replacement and body cannot maintain cardiac output
• In both this and heat stroke, there's a measurable increase in core body temp
• Key symptoms are profuse sweating, pale skin, dizziness and nausea, hyperventilation, and loss of coordination

Monitoring

• carefully tracking of tracking of symptoms and vital signs to gauge to see condition is improving
• Heat exhaustion quickly escalates to heat stroke
• Prepare to escalate treatment if symptoms worsen

Actions

• Call doctor if heat exhaustion is suspected and treat aggressivel

• Can occur to a rapid accumulation with rapid accumulation with Impared Thermoregulation.

• Causes:

  • Results from Inadequate Fluid Replacement.
  • Body Can’t Maintain Adequate Cardiac Output.

Actions For Treatment:

• Cool the Person down Quickly to lower core temperature.
• Fluid Replancement and but be careful if they become
  • Nalaous and Vomiting Cooling Strategies:
• Change Enviroment, Moving to cooler area’s if Possible
• Increase Shade, Usining Umbrella’s to block direct Sun Light
• Remove Excess Clothing
• Apply Ice Packs to neck armpit area’s to cool down.

Monitoring:

• Continue track of vitals to assess patients progression

• Focus on visible symptoms instead looking for the exact temperature.

• And quickly take action if the person is deterating

• Medical emergency is needed for any server dehydration cases and heat exhaustion.

Heat Stroke

• Is Medical emeregency and cant be spontaneously reversed.

• Leads to CNS and Organ Collapse

• Characterized

  • Extreme Heat: is Above 104’F, to Cessation Of Sweating, And the Thermortogulary Mechanics.
  • Theres No Sweating because the Hypothalamus isnt working

• Medical and CNS’s Issues can be present

• Key Point The Persin is not Sweatting at this Point and this indicated thermo reg system has completed failed

Signs and Symptoms:

• Core Temperatures Exceed 105F
• Skin characteristics, hot to touch, flushed and dry, and Note if Sweating has profusely before.
• CNS effects confusion, disorientation, agitation, as well as Oragen Failure.

1. Call 911 Immedately,
2. Aggression Cool Person Externally because person can no longer internally. Use all avaible Resources to lower body temperature quickly!
3. Cooling Methods:
   • Can submerge the body safely in a cooling tub
   • Risks May occur to UnStable Patients

Critical measure that may occur be useing towles ect. in cool tub and protecting air ways and if cold too is unaviable by useing portable cooling bags.

Immedaite:

• A Rapid Descision:
  • Focus on the visible Symptoms instead of exact temperatures.
  • Act Quickly if the Person shows any.

Key Measure:

• Risk of Shhock from sudden cold exposure.

• Potential for Hypotherimia that will be monitored if it is handled with no care.

• Always Protect the Airwaves and the body head and avoid drowning patients

• At least one-week rest and a Gradual returning of Symptoms like Asymptomatic

• Rehearse emergency Protocols and quickly use resources of roles and actions

Manaing Patients:

• Manage patients who have paralized Athletes by use of Fans on the Sadelines.
• Spray bottles to Mimc the Cooling Effect of Sweat
• And Cooling Vest worn to externally cool the patients over body temperatures.

Hyporthermia Notes:

• Focus on conditions where the drop of boy temperature from cold envionments.
• Important to understand heat loss mechansisms to protect heat and the athletes

Key Mechansm that may occur includes

• radiation ( Transfer of boy without any Direct Conatct, such as body Heat and neck.)

• Evaporation ( Sweatting)

• Body looses key functions

• Understand the Mechanc that help us Preent Heat Loss.

• Such as retaining body Heat. Impact of Heal Lost on the Body Causes loss on: such as

• Neuromusclar Functions for muscles and their coordinATIONS

Severe Heal Loss When temperure drops to (77-85’F) ( 25-29C) in death is immanted and it will require action!

Steps Body Takes to Preserve Key parts to tempature:

• Prevent heat Lost, by

• Vasocontraction = Blood Flow to Skin. Also preserves the Organ

• Increasing Organs to the Heart.

• Shivering and Release Hormones.

• Key is survival.

Risk Factors:

• Intersic:
  • Lack of Persparation
  • Restictive clothing
  • Bdy type
  • Bad Fatigure
• Entersic:
• The wind
• Sudden Weather changes in temprature quickly!
• Key to minimize cold and weight conditions.

Cold Injurires:

• Core Temperatures Remains Stable
• Hypothermia affects dermis tissues by skin

• Surface: it looks with a waxy texture that starts early.
  

  -Deep: it creates a Grey with Blusish skin that can be irreversible.
• Dr Beck : Is a person whom Suffers from Frosts Bite, such as amputation from the loss body parts.
• Gangrene and Infection set in quickly with such wounds over time!
• Slow but gradual Re warming must occur and continues or more damage can cause with. And must be directly sent to the hopsital care.

Systemic Hypothermia

• Occurs when care body temperature drops below 94’F (34’C)
• Physiological such as Decrease in Heart Rate and Blood Pressure.
• But then drops when the 90 degree level where there's no shivers and stops in general.
• Body uses warm internal body functions and requires external.

This lesson focuses on preventing heat-related emergencies, including the role in educating athletes and other at-risk populations on heat illness prevention. It highlights athletes with larger muscle mass, overweight athletes, children and the elderly as populations at risk. It also defines heat stress and its causes.