Heat-related illnesses are a serious matter. At Parkland Health’s emergency room, this year’s visits are nearly six times what they were last year.
Nic Hewett and Ryan Braatz play tennis in Dallas regularly despite the conditions.
“We stayed out here for two and half hours yesterday and it was brutal,” Braatz said.
With the North Texas summer dragging on, they’re not necessarily breezing through their matches.
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“I just moved here two days ago so it’s been a big change for me to be honest,” said Braatz. “I very much underestimated how hot it was going to be.”
For that reason, they keep liquids within arm’s reach. With these conditions, it’s just the smart thing to do. The consequences of heat exposure can be severe.
Dr. Jeffrey Metzger is Chief of Emergency Services at Parkland Health. He said this summer, there’s been consistent traffic in and out of the ER – and exposure to extreme heat is much to blame.
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“We’re definitely seeing a lot more patients coming in with heat-related illnesses than we have in the past,” Metzger said.
Symptoms of heat-related illness run the spectrum, altered mental state or confusion, dizziness, sometimes lightheadedness, and syncope. He said they’re mostly treating the elderly, construction workers and truck drivers and the homeless. The numbers are eye-opening.
The number of heat-related visits to the ER ballooned compared to last year. In 2022, they saw 36 people for heat-related complaints. This year since June, they’ve seen 229.
In Tarrant County, 12 deaths have been reported so far this summer due to heat. In just one day, 13 of the 17 patients treated by MedStar were transported to the hospital.
Dr. Metzger said a situation can take a turn for the worst in a matter of minutes.
“It depends on how old they are, how hydrated they are. It depends on sometimes what medications they're taking,” he said. “Certainly 30 minutes, 45 minutes can be too much for people.”
Staying indoors with working A/C is the best plan. But if that’s not possible, hydration is key.
