With temperatures expected to stay high over the next several days, we wanted to share a few important reminders to help you stay safe. Diabetes and extreme heat can be a challenging combination, but with a little planning, you can enjoy summer while protecting your health.
Diabetes and Heat-Related Risks
Living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes can change how the body handles high temperatures.
- Impaired Cooling: High blood sugar can cause nerve damage over time. If this damage affects the nerves that signal the sweat glands, a person's body may not be able to sweat efficiently to cool itself down.
- Elevated Blood Glucose and Dehydration: Dehydration concentrates the sugar in your blood, and causes insulin to work less efficiently causing glucose levels to rise even higher. When blood sugar rises, the kidneys try to flush out the excess glucose through the urine. This increased urination drains the body of fluids quickly.
- Medication Side Effects: Many common medications increase the body's water loss.
How to Prevent Heat Illness
1. Hydrate and Monitor Frequently
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day, even if you do not feel thirsty. Check the color of your urine. It should be light in color or clear. If it is dark, you are dehydrated.
- Sip on an electrolyte-containing beverage to help replace salts and minerals lost through sweat.
- Test your blood sugar more often in the heat, as extreme temperatures can cause unpredictable glucose fluctuations, may impair sensor accuracy, and can decrease the potency of insulin.
- Avoid alcohol and heavy caffeine, which worsen dehydration.
2. Time Your Day Wisely
- Stay indoors during peak sun hours, typically between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Exercise early in the morning or late in the evening when temperatures are coolest.
- Take frequent breaks in the shade or AC during any physical activity.
3. Dress for the Weather
- Wear loose, lightweight, and light-colored clothing to help your skin breathe and reflect the sunlight.
- Protect yourself from sunburn by using at least an SPF 30+ sunscreen and wearing a wide-brimmed hat. Sunburn damages the skin and reduces your body's ability to cool itself. Follow the package instructions for reapplication frequency.
4. Protect Your Diabetes Supplies
- Never leave insulin or equipment in a hot car or direct sunlight. Heat destroys insulin and ruins the accuracy of test strips and glucose monitors.
- Use a cooling pouch or insulated travel bag to keep insulin cool while outdoors, but avoid letting the medication touch direct ice.
Recognizing the Signs: Heat Exhaustion vs. Heatstroke
It is critical to know the difference between heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Heatstroke is a life-threatening medical emergency.
Note: For individuals with diabetes, heat exhaustion symptoms can look identical to low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Always check your blood sugar if you feel shaky, dizzy, or sweaty.
- Mental State. Heat Exhaustion: Alert, though tired, weak, or dizzy. Heatstroke (Emergency!): Confused, slurred speech, altered behavior, seizures, or unconscious.
- Skin. Heat Exhaustion: Cool, pale, and clammy. Heatstroke (Emergency!): Hot and red; can be dry or dripping with sweat.
- Pulse. Heat Exhaustion: Fast and weak. Heatstroke (Emergency!): Fast and strong.
- Sweating. Heat Exhaustion: Heavy, drenching sweat. Heatstroke (Emergency!): May have completely stopped sweating.
- Temperature. Heat Exhaustion: Normal or slightly elevated (under 103°F / 39.4°C). Heatstroke (Emergency!): Dangerously high (103°F / 39.4°C or above).
- Other Signs. Heat Exhaustion: Nausea, headache, muscle cramps. Heatstroke (Emergency!): Vomiting, throbbing headache, dizziness.
Treatment
For Heat Exhaustion (Mild to Moderate)
If you or someone else shows signs of heat exhaustion, you must act quickly to lower the body temperature:
- Move to a cool area: Get into an air-conditioned building or a shaded spot immediately.
- Check blood sugar: Verify if the symptoms are from the heat or low blood glucose, and treat any low glucose immediately.
- Loosen clothing: Remove tight garments, heavy layers, shoes, and socks.
- Cool the skin: Apply cool, wet towels to the neck, armpits, face, and groin. Use a fan or spray cool water.
- Rehydrate: Sip cool water or an electrolyte drink slowly.
- Rest.
Call 911 immediately if the person starts vomiting, loses consciousness, or if symptoms do not improve after 30 to 60 minutes.
For Heatstroke (Severe Medical Emergency)
- Call 911 right away.
- Move the person to shade or air conditioning.
- Cool them down rapidly using any method available (ice baths, wrapping in cold wet sheets, or dousing with cool water).
- Do NOT give them anything to drink if they are confused or unconscious, as they could choke.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Managing Diabetes in the Heat
- Mayo Clinic: Heat Exhaustion First Aid
- American Diabetes Association (ADA): Tips for Staying Safe in Summer Heat
