Maryland's Health Matters - St. Joseph - Fall 2013 - (Page 9)

GETTING TREATMENT FAST IS KEY “Time was of the essence. Mr. Thate was in danger of multiorgan failure, brain damage or even death,” says Dr. Frankel. “We gave him Tylenol, ﬂuids and broad-spectrum antibiotics to cover him for all possibilities until we were sure of what had happened to him.” A breathing tube was inserted into his windpipe to stabilize his breathing. “It was a very traumatic experience. It was shocking and unexpected,” says Thate’s wife, Deborah. Fortunately, the cooling protocol was a success. “His recovery was miraculous—we had a lot of people praying for him,” she adds. SAFETY TIPS IN THE HEAT ■ Wear lightweight, lightcolored, loose-ﬁtting clothes and a widebrimmed hat. Edwin Thate, center, with his family. WHAT IS HEATSTROKE? The ofﬁcial deﬁnition of heatstroke is a core body temperature higher than 105 degrees. Heatstroke is more likely to occur in someone older than age 50, although it can also happen to younger people who overexert themselves. If the body is unable to cool down, heatstroke can be fatal. Underlying health problems and prescription medicines that compromise the body’s ability to cool itself put a person at greater risk of heatstroke, according to Dr. Frankel. Thate has a muscle disorder for which he is on antispasmodic medication. “There are hundreds of medicines that decrease the body’s ability to acclimate to the heat,” Dr. Frankel says. “They include ones as common as beta blockers, cholesterol medicine, pain medicine, seizure medication, antihistamines, diet pills and antidepressants. These medications dilate the blood vessels and don’t allow the body to cool itself normally by breathing faster and sweating.” The risk of heat-related illness increases when the heat index is above 90 degrees. If you think someone is having heatstroke, call 911 immediately, advises Dr. Frankel, and get the person into the shade and begin cooling him or her down with cool water and ice packs. with happy endings at shortererwait.com/real-stories. ■ Use sunscreen with SPF 30 or more. ■ Drink plenty of ﬂuids: During heavy exercise, drink two to four glasses of ﬂuids every hour. Substitute an electrolyte-rich sports drink for water during periods of extreme heat. ■ Try to limit your outdoor activity to the coolest times of the day, either early morning or in the evening. Try to rest in shady areas. ■ Monitor those at risk: infants and young children; people 65 and older; people who are overweight; people who overexert themselves; and those with chronic illnesses such as heart disease or high blood pressure or who are on certain medications. PHOTO BY THINKSTOCK Fortunately, a neighbor saw Thate unconscious in his garden after he’d been raking for several hours, and called 911. Neal Frankel, He was rushed by DO ambulance to the Emergency Department (ED) at UM St. Joseph Medical Center. Upon their arrival in the ED, Thate’s core body temperature was Ben 108 degrees, says Vanlandingham, emergency physician MD Neal Frankel, DO, head of UM St. Joseph’s ED. “The medics started the cooling protocol in the ambulance using ice packs,” Dr. Frankel says. In the ED, emergency physician Ben Vanlandingham, MD, continued to bring Thate’s body temperature down with a cooling blanket. stjosephtowson.com | Fall 2013 9 http://www.stjosephtowson.com http://www.shortererwait.com/real-stories

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Maryland's Health Matters - St. Joseph - Fall 2013

Maryland's Health Matters - St. Joseph - Fall 2013
Contents
A Healthy Start
Family Ties
Happy Feet
A Winning Trial
At a Glance
Foundation Halls
News and Events

Maryland's Health Matters - St. Joseph - Fall 2013