The Deadly Impact of Heat: A Growing Health Threat
Heat can be more deadly than any other weather hazard, surpassing fatalities caused by extreme weather events. However, the consequences of higher temperatures on our bodies extend far beyond immediate harm. Climate change is the biggest health threat humanity faces, as stated by the World Health Organization.
According to Dr. Christopher Tedeschi, director of emergency preparedness for emergency medicine at Columbia University, there are undeniable links between climate and health. In fact, climate change can exacerbate diseases. The effects of extreme heat are not always apparent, but they can have a significant impact on chronic illnesses.
The immediate dangers of excessive heat are heatstroke and heat exhaustion, where the body struggles to regulate its temperature. Heatstroke can lead to permanent disability or even death, with body temperatures rising rapidly to dangerous levels. Heat exhaustion, on the other hand, presents symptoms like dizziness, nausea, and headaches, and if left untreated, can progress to heatstroke.
Moreover, high temperatures add stress to the body, making it harder to manage other conditions such as cardiac or respiratory diseases. This stress is reflected in increased emergency department visits during heatwaves, with more cases of heart attacks and strokes reported.
Additionally, extreme heat often results in poorer air quality. Stagnant air and high temperatures contribute to increased levels of ozone and particle pollution. Furthermore, heat exposure can affect sleep by raising body temperatures and disrupting sleep stages, making it difficult to fall and stay asleep.
The long-term effects of high temperatures are equally concerning. Prolonged exposure to extreme heat can put individuals at risk for conditions they might otherwise be able to fend off. Beyond that, the impact of wildfire smoke, which arises from more intense wildfire seasons driven by heat and drought, has long-lasting health consequences. Inhaling the hazardous gases and fine particles in smoke can lead to chronic diseases.
Furthermore, heat and drought create favorable conditions for diseases carried by insects like mosquitoes and ticks to thrive. Milder winters and earlier springs provide these disease-carrying insects with extended breeding seasons and opportunities to expand into new regions. Cases of illnesses resulting from mosquito, tick, and flea bites have more than doubled over the past years.
Moreover, heat helps the growth of new fungi that can infect humans. As body temperatures rise, the protection against fungi decreases, allowing heat-resistant fungi to flourish. This poses a significant concern for public health, according to Dr. Andrej Spec, a fungal infections expert.
The multitude of health problems stemming from extreme heat will exacerbate another longstanding issue — the shortage of healthcare workers. Overwhelmed and overcrowded emergency departments across the nation are already strained, and climate disasters like heatwaves or air quality events only contribute further to this problem.
