Health problems

Explanation of the problem

Heat affects people’s health, ranging from muscle cramps to an accelerated heart rate or heatstroke. During heat stress, the body tries to dissipate body heat through sweating and vasodilation (widening of blood vessels). Sometimes these cooling mechanisms are insufficient, such as in the case of older individuals who experience thirst less quickly and small children whose bodies heat up faster than adults. Users of certain medications may also struggle to maintain their body temperature. Other vulnerable groups include individuals with weak health, chronic illnesses, patients in nursing or care homes, elderly people living at home, those with heart, vascular, or respiratory conditions, diabetes patients, homeless individuals, athletes, participants in events, and people working outdoors.
Health problems can result in additional pressure on healthcare and emergency services, more hospital admissions, and even
mortality.

Information and maps for better understanding

Basic maps according to the standardized stress test

• Map showing the number of warm nights per year (Climate Impact Atlas) → provides insight into the number of warm nights in built-up areas, now and in the future. When it’s warm at night, buildings may not cool down sufficiently, keeping the indoor temperature high. This can lead to health problems.
• Detailed heat map of the perceived temperature on a hot day Climate Impact Atlas) → provides insight into the daytime locations where it is so hot that people may experience health issues and shows where there is a lack of cool places.