If you're over 65 and planning a winter vacation in a sunny climate, be aware that a hot environment puts a strain on an older heart, says a Penn State specialist in the study of the human body's response to heat stress. If you exercise vigorously in the heat, the strain is even greater. His presentation was sponsored by the Speaker's Bureau of the Gatorade Sports Science Institute. The Penn State researcher has studied the effects of chronological age, fitness, and gender on cardiovascular responses to heat stress for more than 15 years. People die because heat puts a greater strain on their hearts to pump blood.
Heat waves kill more people each year than hurricanes, tornadoes or volcanoes.
And, persons over 65 years of age are 10 to 12 times more likely to die during extended periods of hot weather, he says. In laboratory studies, Kenney and his research group have shown that, when exposed to high temperatures, young subjects pump more blood to the skin to cool the body. Often, in heat waves, the oldest old will get dizzy when they stand up quickly and may even fall and break bones. To explore the causes of this response, Kenney and his research team have conducted studies with both young and old subjects placed on a tilt table. These studies have shown that younger and older people maintain blood pressure and consciousness in different ways under heat stress.