Heat--related illnesses and deaths-United States, 1994-1995.
Although heat-related illness and death are readily preventable, exposure to extreme temperatures causes at least 240 deaths during years with no heat wave. A heat wave is defined by the National Weather Service as > or = 3 consecutive days of temperatures > or = 90.0 F (> or = 32.2 C). In 1980, 1983, and 1988 (recent years with prolonged heat waves), 1700, 556, and 454 deaths, respectively, were attributed to heat. This report describes four instances of heat-related illness and death that occurred in the United States during 1994 and 1995 and summarizes risk factors for heat-related illness and death.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000401:mortality; D006359:Heat Exhaustion / Q000401:mortality*; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014887:Weather