Kansas City doctor advises public to prepare for summer heat

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – As summer begins in Kansas City, more people will be staying outside in the heat for extended periods of time. A local emergency room doctor told KCTV5 that early summer heat can be dangerous if people aren’t prepared.

“I think people are just not used to this type of heat at this point in the season,” said Dr. Adam Algren, chair of emergency medicine at University Health. “That’s when people can very easily overexert themselves, be exposed for longer periods of time and put themselves at risk.”

If you’re too hot, Dr. Algren recommends finding a cooler place where you can rest and rehydrate. An air-conditioned environment is preferable.

“When people experience heat exhaustion, they tend to not feel well,” Dr. Algren said. “They may feel dizzy, nauseous, dizzy, and these are all symptoms that your body is stressed and doing too much.”

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Dr. Algren says people should drink water to stay cool. He also advises avoiding alcohol if you’re exposed to extreme heat.

“Alcohol can actually be dehydrating the more you drink it,” he said. “It’s not a good liquid to consume when it’s very hot.”

With more outdoor events planned this weekend and throughout the summer, Dr. Algren wants people to drink enough fluids to replace the water they lose when they sweat.

“Staying hydrated when it’s hot outside is very important because you lose more fluids when your body is hot,” Dr. Algren said.

If you are with someone who is suffering from heat exhaustion and they stop sweating and become disoriented/impaired, Dr. Algren said they could suffer from heat stroke, which could put his life in danger.

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READ ALSO : Resources available to keep Kansas citizens of all ages cool during the heat