Extreme heat could stress Minnesota’s health care facilities this weekend

Minnesota will get steamy this weekend — with temperatures as high as 100 degrees forecasted in southwestern Minnesota, and high 90s across the south.

Much of the state is under an extreme heat watch or warning, and heat-related illnesses could put some pressure on area hospitals.

For more, MPR News host Lisa Ryan spoke with Dr. Joey Durran, chief medical director of Allina Emergency Medical Services.

Press play above to listen to their conversation, or read a transcript below, edited for time and clarity.

Are you expecting more patients this weekend?

We do, depending on what is going on in our service areas for sporting activities, that type of thing. But we do plan on seeing an uptick in the summer, especially around the hotter days, from the heat, but also from everybody being out and about with the nice weather, so people on motorcycles, out on boats, that type of thing. We definitely see an uptick in our run volume during these warm, nice days in the summer.

Do people underestimate the heat and how much their body can handle?

Yes, usually, especially in this neck of the woods where we obviously tend to be cooler most of the year, we are not as acclimated to the heat as maybe somebody who lives down south and is used to this weather.

So I don’t think, especially the first hot days of the year, everybody is prepared as well as they should, with making sure that they hydrate themselves well, making sure that they are wearing loose clothing, taking breaks and just planning ahead for what they would do, you know, if the heat starts to get to them.

And does the humidity play a role? Because we are going to see a pretty humid weekend on top of the heat as well.

Humidity does play a role in the fact that one of the best ways our body does cool off is with evaporation. And so you sweat, you have this liquid on your skin, and then it evaporates, and it takes some heat with it, and so when it’s humid out, that’s just less likely to happen. It’s harder to happen.

Now, is it possible that some people are on maybe new medications as well, and don’t realize how the heat might affect them?

Definitely. So people with heart disease, high blood pressure, those type of medications do limit how much your body can compensate. For instance, many blood pressure medications limit how fast your heart can go, which is great for people with heart disease, but in the event of being overheated and needing your body to compensate with an elevated heart rate, it gets harder to compensate. Also, people with lung disease, that type of thing, just because we also use breathing. And as people get hotter, they also breathe faster to blow off some of that heat from their body. And so if you have underlying significant lung disease that can make it difficult.

Anything else that you think that people should know about as they get ready to maybe enjoy some of this warm weather?

Mind what you’re feeling. If you’re starting to feel light-headed, dizzy, nauseous, get out of the heat if you can, and take breaks. Also, for people who are exercising or who are in sports, you know, trying to do something earlier in the day or late at night, not in the peak heat of the day, is also advisable too.