Near-record high temperatures combined with dangerous humidity levels are creating hazardous conditions across the community, and doctors say heat-related illnesses are already on the rise.
The inside of a locked car can reach over 100 degrees in just 10 minutes — a critical danger for children and pets.
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Dr. Ilya Aylyarov, chief of the emergency department at Jupiter Medical Center, said the combination of heat and humidity makes it especially difficult for the body to cool itself down.
"You get to really high humidity, you have a lot of trouble sweating off your heat, cooling off your body," Aylyarov said.
He said the elderly, outdoor workers and young children are the most at risk. Knowing the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke, he said, could save your life.
"Heat exhaustion, which is when someone starts to get really lightheaded and weak and dizzy, they can get nauseous and headaches and cramps, that's your warning sign, that's you need to get to a cool area," Aylyarov said.
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A heat stroke occurs when the body reaches a temperature too high to adequately cool off.
"If someone starts to get confused, or if they're starting to have, God forbid, seizures, or if they have a very altered mental status, that's your big warning sign they need to get to a hospital," Aylyarov said.
Aylyarov said prevention is the most important tool against heat-related illness — but when dangerous symptoms appear, immediate action is essential.
"The most important thing is that prevention is much more important than treatment. If, of course, someone is having those dangerous signs that we talked about, you got to get to a hospital immediately," Aylyarov said.
Doctors also recommend hydrating with electrolytes — not just water — and avoiding alcohol when spending time outdoors.
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