CT’s extreme is landing people in the hospital. Don’t just drink water on these hot days, doctor warns

The extreme heat brought on by the state’s first heat wave of 2024 is causing an uptick in hospitalizations.The Hartford Hospital Emergency Department said they have treated several cases of dehydration among the elderly population.“The dehydration we are seeing has been mild,” said Dr. Anumeha Singh, chief of Emergency Medicine at Hartford Hospital. “So mostly a 24-hour turnaround. The biggest sign is sweating. While it’s a good thing you’re sweating to cool off, you need to make sure you’re replacing vital nutrients and putting water back into your body.”Singh said that people over 70 and young children under 4 are most vulnerable to dehydration. Singh said anyone who is pregnant also has to be more careful as the body has a harder time regulating temperature.“The older or younger you are, sometimes the signs of dehydration are more subtle,” Singh said. “So those populations have to be more careful.”Here’s why so much of the US is broiling this week.The National Weather Service, which now says the current heat advisory is through 8 p.m. Sunday, also forecasts periodic thunder storms for this weekend. The heat wave, accompanied by high humidity, has made it feel like 95 to 105 degrees or even hotter most of this week. This prolonged period of intense heat began on Monday and will persist until Sunday, with the most intense heat hitting the last few days.The heat index, also known as the apparent temperature, is what the temperature feels like to the body when humidity is combined with the air temperature, according to the NWS. With the heat index above 100 degrees, the body is not able to cool itself down on its own, as sweat can’t evaporate off the body quickly, according to experts.“While we urge everyone to drink water and stay indoors, it’s also good idea to be drinking Gatorade with your water,” Singh said. “When you’re sweating, you’re also losing salt. So it’s recommended to have drinks with electrolytes along with water. If you’re hydrating with just water, you can still get an electrolyte imbalance which can affect you in a similar way.”Electrolytes are chemicals naturally occurring in your body fluids. They include chloride, phosphate, potassium, sodium, and calcium. These are important for several different bodily functions, according to WebMD. When you’re sweating, you lose 2% to 6% of your body weight, which can lower electrolyte concentration. Singh said she has seen patients coming in with both dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.“Don’t go outside and do physical activity on days like today,” Singh said. “When it’s as hot as it is, avoid outdoor activities as much as possible. But if you have to be outside, take as frequent breaks as possible and hydrate frequently. Wear light-colored clothing and be sure to apply sunblock.”Singh said that there are several products that contain electrolytes including drinks and powders. Anyone considering purchasing a product should do their own research before buying and carefully read labels, experts say.Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com

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