How heat affects an aging bodyThe human body has two main mechanisms to cool itself: sweating and increasing blood flow to the skin. In older adults, those processes are compromised — they sweat less and they have poor circulation compared with younger adults. A diseased heart isn’t able to pump as much blood, further reducing blood flow to the skin. And if the nerves become affected in people with severe diabetes, the body might not receive the message that it needs to start sweating. In hot conditions, that can cause them to become dehydrated faster, which is “hugely detrimental for temperature control,” Dr. Crandall said.

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Persons: ”, Craig Crandall, Glen Kenny, “, Dr, Crandall Organizations: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, University of Ottawa