Boise doctors: Take Idaho heat wave seriously. Know how to prevent, identify ailments
A dangerous weeklong heat wave is expected in Southwest Idaho and across the entire Pacific Northwest starting this weekend, and doctors have a simple, tried-and-true message:
Take precautions to avoid heat-related illness, be wary of symptoms caused by excessive heat and be very careful out there, because this is serious.
The spate of intense heat is expected to begin Sunday in Boise, with temperatures hitting 99. Triple-digit heat will begin Monday, with thermometers registering 100-plus for four consecutive days, rising as high as 107 on Wednesday. The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning from Sunday through July 1.
That kind of heat is hazardous, medical professionals say, because the intensity of the sun and the temperatures can cause people to overheat quickly, especially if they are exerting themselves. Each year, more than 600 people in the U.S. die from extreme heat, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The best option is to stay inside if you can, according to doctors.
“We tell people to just avoid being out in the hottest parts of the day,” Dr. Michael Roach, executive medical director of primary care at Saint Alphonsus Medical Group, told the Idaho Statesman by phone.
Boise’s position at the far edge of the Mountain time zone means that the hottest temperatures often don’t come until the late afternoon.
“I tell people that peak heat is anywhere from 10 to 6,” Roach said. “The sun is still quite high late in the day here.”
Roach recommends that people have water with them wherever they are, even if it’s just for a short car trip. Getting stuck in traffic, having a flat tire or encountering another problem “could expose you to being in the heat unexpectedly,” he said.
Dr. Martha Taylor, medical director for urgent care at St. Luke’s Health System, pointed out that people in vehicles need to be careful at all times, because the temperature in a sealed car can rise 20 degrees in just 10 minutes.
If you are outside, sun protection — hats, long-sleeved and lightweight shirts, sunscreen, even umbrellas — is a must, Roach said, and not just for the comfort.
“Sunburned skin does not cool as effectively as normal skin,” he said.
One of the biggest risks this week is that the wicked heat is coming early in summer, Taylor said. And she noted that it can be a bigger problem for those who don’t spend much time outside to begin with.
“Some of the biggest risk factors for any sort of exertional heat illness is lack of acclimatization,” Taylor told the Statesman. “You’ve gone from relatively temperate weather to very, very hot in a short period of time.”
Though there have been several hot days in June in Boise, the city hasn’t seen triple digits or a sustained stretch of brutal heat.
SYMPTOMS OF HEAT ILLNESS TO WATCH FOR
Four of the most common heat disorders are cramps, syncope (loss of consciousness), exhaustion and heatstroke, according to Taylor.
She said the disorders can be viewed as moving from “least bad to horrible,” and symptoms often begin with heavy sweating, fatigue and cramps in particular parts of the body, such as the calves or forearms. As symptoms persist, people can become lightheaded or flushed and notice an increased heart rate. They also might become nauseated, uncoordinated, weak and feel as if they’re going to pass out.
“It’s a continuum, depending on how long you let this go or how long you’re distracted with other things and don’t seek care,” Taylor said.
If people experience symptoms, doctors recommend stopping any exertion immediately, getting out of the sun to cool down and rehydrating.
The most serious affliction is heatstroke, which Roach said is defined by a core body temperature of 104-106 degrees. He said it can come on rapidly and cause a change in mental status, including confusion, dizziness, hallucinations and even coma.
Though one of the hallmarks of heatstroke is having dry skin instead of sweaty skin, Roach said both conditions could indicate a problem, so people shouldn’t assume they’re safe from heatstroke if they’re still sweating.
“That’s a true medical emergency, and anyone who you feel has heatstroke should be treated as a medical emergency,” he said.
Roach said up to 60% of patients who have heat stroke eventually die, in part because the excessive heat can cause damage to multiple organs, including the heart, lungs, kidneys and liver.
Roach said that children younger than 4 and the elderly are most vulnerable. In both cases, doctors say it can be difficult to notice the onset of problems. Taylor said children’s bodies often mask symptoms until it’s too late. For the elderly, who have trouble dissipating heat and could be frail already — and also might suffer from some form of dementia or memory issue — it can be difficult to differentiate between those pre-existing symptoms and heat-related onset.
“They may have underlying conditions that mimic heat stroke,” he said.
Some medications and substances — alcohol, allergy meds, decongestants, blood pressure pills, stimulants (including caffeine) — can make you more likely to develop symptoms because of dehydration or an increased heart rate, Taylor said.
THREATS TO THE VALLEY’S HOMELESS
Doctors point out that it’s best to stay indoors during the hottest times of the day, but some in the Treasure Valley have no home to retreat to and face serious risks.
“I’m definitely worried about long-term exposure” for the homeless, Jodi Peterson-Stigers, executive director of the Interfaith Sanctuary shelter, told the Statesman by phone. “People who are not able to get out of the heat and cool down.”
So far this year, there have been 30 emergency heat exposure calls in Ada County, according to the county’s paramedics spokesperson, Ryan Larrondo. There were 51 total in 2020 and 45 in 2019.
Peterson-Stigers said she has worked with other organizations in the city to open up “cooling shelters” where people with nowhere else to go can come in out of the heat or find shade, and have some water. These areas will be available at multiple locations across the city, including Corpus Christi House (Monday through Saturday), and at Interfaith and the Boise Rescue Mission every day.
Indoor shelters will be open in the middle of the day this week at the Hayes Auditorium in Boise’s downtown public library and off the 12th Street entrance to Cathedral of the Rockies, Peterson-Stigers said.
She noted that volunteers are needed every day to help staff at each of the cooling centers, and those who are interested can email morgans@interfaithsanctuary.org.
“If we can have volunteers assist us, we’ll just be better at making sure everyone’s getting what they need,” she said.
Peterson-Stigers said that while people are out running errands, if they can take an extra bottled water or two, they could hand it out to people in need.
This story was originally published June 27, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
