Hot Weather Alert!
The weather has turned hot here in Missouri. Continuous days of 90-plus degrees make the outdoors feel like a sauna. The occasional rain, decreasing as summer progresses, makes it even worse. The temperature feels like it's 110 degrees, according to the weatherman.
Everyone realizes that cold weather is bad for people with lung diseases, but the warm weather should not be ignored. Warm weather invites air that is too stuffy to breathe, dehydration, and more work for those who need supplemental oxygen to get around.
In my opinion, it's up to us to spread the word. Remind your patients. Remind your friends. Remind your patients' friends. Tell everyone you know and everyone you see that warm weather can easily land you in a hospital bed. The dangers from the sun, the hot winds, and the temperature are seen every day in the emergency department.
Remind them to drink plenty of fluids, consume carbohydrates, and shade themselves when possible. Stay indoors, if that's an option, when the temperature tops 85 degrees. Mow and get fuel for the car before 8 a.m. or after 7 p.m. when the sun's rays are not directly on you.
Take care of yourselves and your patients. While sun tans are cool, overdoing it can lead to sunburn or worse. Be careful, have a great summer, and teach your patients what they need to know about warm weather hazards.
Jim Thacker, CRT, AE-C, RCP