Heat Exhaustion Research Paper

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Heat Exhaustion Signs and Symptoms The signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion include but are not limited to confusion, dark-colored urine, excessive thirst, dizziness, fainting, fatigue, headache, muscle cramps, nausea, pale skin, profuse sweating, and rapid heartbeat. Risk Factors Heat index has a major affect on the chance of experiencing heat exhaustion. Your risk increases when the heat index is ninety degrees or more. Your body’s ability to cool itself decreases significantly in sixty percent relative humidity or higher. Another risk factor is the “heat island effect”. When you are in an urban area during a heat wave combined with poor air quality, inactive atmospheric conditions, and the heat stored in concrete released at night you experience this effect. Being less than four years old or over the age of sixty-five increases are risks. Medical implications that increase the risk of heat exhaustion are heart, lung, and kidney disease, obesity, underweight, high blood pressure, diabetes, mental illness, sickle cell trait, alcoholism, sunburn, any conditions that cause fever, and diabetes. Medications that increase your risk are diuretics, sedatives, tranquilizers, stimulants, some heart and blood pressure medications, and medications for psychiatric conditions. Causes Major causes of heat exhaustion of are alcohol use, dehydration, heart disease, high temperature or humidity, medications such as beta-blockers, diuretics, neuroleptics, phenothiazines, and anticholinergics, prolonged or excessive exercise, sweat gland problems, or wearing too much clothing. Diagnosis The diagnosis of heat exhaustion is mostly made by circumstantial evidence. However sometimes lab tests are done to see if there is an electrolyte imbalance, significant dehydration, or kidney failure. The first step to diagnosis is determining the cause, whether it be exercising

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