Heat stroke: Causes, risks and prevention

Older adults are at greater risk for heat-related illnesses. As we age, our bodies become less efficient at cooling, and other factors such as chronic illnesses, medications that interfere with the body’s processes, social isolation and poverty can put some at even greater risk. Individuals with breathing difficulties, heart problems and psychiatric illnesses are also at greater risk of experiencing heat-related illnesses. In this 2-minute video, family physician, Dr. Erin Gallagher explains what heat exhaustion and heat stroke are and what you can do to lower your risk.

 

 

Download a transcript of this video.

Health Canada has a free fact sheet that summarizes the signs and symptoms of heat-related illness, risk factors, and safety tips for being active in the heat. 

 

 

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Featured Resources

Website: Health Canada: Extreme heat events


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DISCLAIMER: These summaries are provided for informational purposes only. They are not a substitute for advice from your own health care professional. The summaries may be reproduced for not-for-profit educational purposes only. Any other uses must be approved by the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal (info@mcmasteroptimalaging.org).

Many of our Blog Posts were written before the COVID-19 pandemic and thus do not necessarily reflect the latest public health recommendations. While the content of new and old blogs identify activities that support optimal aging, it is important to defer to the most current public health recommendations. Some of the activities suggested within these blogs may need to be modified or avoided altogether to comply with changing public health recommendations. To view the latest updates from the Public Health Agency of Canada, please visit their website.