FACTS

Factors increase your risk:

1. Age. Your ability to cope with extreme heat depends on the strength of your central nervous system. In the very young, the central nervous system is not fully developed, and in adults over 65, the central nervous system begins to deteriorate, which makes your body less able to cope with changes in body temperature. Both age groups usually have difficulty remaining hydrated, which also increases risk.
2. Exertion in hot weather. Military training and participating in sports, such as football or long- distance running events, in hot weather are among the situations that can lead to heatstroke.
3. Sudden exposure to hot weather. You may be more susceptible to heat-related illness if you´re exposed to a sudden increase in temperature, such as during an early-summer heat wave or travel to a hotter climate.
4. Limit activity for at least several days to allow yourself to acclimate to the change. However, you may still have an increased risk of heatstroke until you´ve experienced several weeks of higher temperatures.
5. A lack of air conditioning. Fans may make you feel better, but during sustained hot weather, air conditioning is the most effective way to cool down and lower humidity.
6. Certain health conditions. Certain chronic illnesses, such as heart or lung disease, might increase your risk of heatstroke. So can being obese, being sedentary and having a history of previous heatstroke.

STATS

• Over 9,000 documented heat stroke deaths occurred between 1979 and 2013. This is believed to actually be higher, but certain deaths were not documented as being caused by heat stroke on death certificates.
• According to OSHA, 18 people died in 2014 due to heat-related issues.
• Without treatment, approx 80% of people with heatstroke die.
• A core body temperature of 104 F (40 C) or higher, obtained with a rectal thermometer, is a sign of heat stroke.
• The last 30 years has seen an average rate of 1 heat stroke death per 2 million people in the US.
• There has been an increase in the number of heat stroke deaths since the year of 2000 with the elderly making up the majority of heat stroke deaths.