Texans are no strangers to extreme temperatures, but underestimating the dangers posed by the heat can have serious consequences.
In response, Houston emergency physician Hilary Fairbrother, MD, chair of the Texas Medical Association Committee on Emergency Medical Services and Trauma, discussed heat-related illnesses and how to prevent them in TMA’s new podcast series, TMA Health Beat.
Prompted by the association’s Council on Health Promotion, TMA Health Beat is a monthly podcast highlighting TMA’s community outreach programs, physician leaders, and important health care issues. During the hot summer months, Dr. Fairbrother often sees patients suffering from heat exhaustion and heat stroke, she says in the podcast addressing the topic.
“Our body has a certain ability to compensate for the outside environment. But at some point, we stop being able to adapt,” she said.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra recently acknowledged that high summer temperatures and resulting rates of heat exposure could contribute to a “public health crisis.”
“People are dying on our streets because of extreme heat,” he said at a press conference in Phoenix earlier this month.
Dr. Fairbrother recommends drinking enough water as the best way to stay safe.
“The number one thing you can do to prevent heat-related illness is to get hydrated before you ever go outside,” she said.
Learn more about other pressing health issues in Texas with TMA Health Beat:
Last Updated On
August 16, 2024
Originally Published On
August 13, 2024