Heat and your health

Also: The CDC sees signs of a late summer COVID bump [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  August 1, 2023 Hi CommonHealth reader, Across much of the country, this has been [a very hot summer](. The heat comes with health risks. It can affect our vital organs, [slow our thinking]( and worsen our mood. In fact, it's the [most deadly]( kind of extreme weather, because heat can lead to organ failure or heart attacks. As my colleague [Martha Bebinger recently reported]( doctors and nurses are thinking more about the health risks posed by heat. And some are testing a new strategy: heat alerts. These email alerts are part of a pilot project led by Harvard and the nonprofit group Climate Central. Clinicians in seven states, including Massachusetts, are using the alerts to teach patients most at risk about the dangers of heat, and how to stay safe. The alerts arrive when temperatures reach a certain threshold, which varies depending on the climate for each part of the country. In the Boston area, cases of [heat-related illness]( rise as temperatures hit the mid-70s. I asked Martha about her reporting. Here are a few key points she shared with me: - Some groups are more at risk of heat-related illness. They include people with diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease; older people; and people who may be active and healthy but spend a lot of time outside, such as construction workers and youth athletes. Also, people who can’t afford [air conditioning]( have higher risks, even if they’re not exerting themselves in the heat, Martha told me. - Heat alerts may provide a new opportunity for preventive care. Doctors already screen for a lot of different ailments during a medical visit, everything from cancer to depression. Adding heat risk to the mix could feel like a burden — but it’s also an opportunity, Martha said. “There's a lot of heat-related illness that's preventable: the [visits to emergency rooms]( the long-term kidney problems that can develop, the need to change medications to treat heart disease or high blood pressure. Those things can all be managed if you're managing heat and the ways that heat increases a person's vulnerability,” she said. - People tend not to take heat warnings very seriously. “We have a tradition [in many parts of the country] of knowing how to take care of ourselves in the cold. We don't have that mindset with heat,” Martha said. Heat is tricky to manage because it affects people differently depending on their age, occupation, living conditions and other factors. Still, all of us can try to fend off heat-related illness by staying hydrated — monitor the color of your urine if you’re unsure how much water to drink, lighter is better — and taking breaks in cool spaces. And watch for symptoms like dizziness and nausea, which could be signs of heat exhaustion. Martha and I happened to be outside walking when we had this conversation. I asked her if this was a good idea. It was a sticky morning, and we were starting to sweat. “The message shouldn't be: spend all day inside. But just to be outside more carefully, more thoughtfully,” she said. So, try to schedule your outdoor time during less hot and humid periods. Check out Martha’s reporting [here]( and read NPR’s tips for managing the heat [here]( and [here](. It’s advice that’s becoming ever more relevant on our warming planet. 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