Emergency Rooms see increase in patients being treated for heat-related illnesses

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) –As temperatures rise across the state, health officials are urging people to take precautions to protect yourself and your pets. Health workers say they’ve been treating more patients in the last few days.

Thursday was the second day in a row a heat advisory has been issued for majority of the Cape Fear. The heat index hit a high of 113 on Thursday in Wilmington.

Brunswick Medical Center’s Emergency Department’s Medical Director Dr. Ryan Jordanhazy said just this week alone the hospital has seen a spike in the number of patients being treated for heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

“Particularly in the last few days as the heat index,  pretty consistently is over 100 and that’s really red alert for us, in terms of any sort of heat related illness. So, it has certainly become a consistent issue in our ER’s, multiple cases per day,” said Dr. Ryan Jordanhazy, Novant Health Brunswick Emergency Department Medical Director.

Those most at high risk of heat-related illnesses, like people over 65, should take extreme precautions when outdoors in the heat for long periods of time.