Climate Change Is Behind More Than 1 in 4 Heat-Related ER Visits

Human-caused global warming is being blamed for a significant number of emergency room visits due to heat-related illnesses. Read on for the details of this new study.

Climate Change Responsible for Increased ER Visits as Temperatures Rise

According to a new report from Climate Central, heat-related ER visits would have been 27% lower over the last several years without the impacts of human-caused global warming. The study looked at ER visits during the warm months between 2018 and 2025.

Of the years in question, the June 2021 heat wave in the Pacific Northwest was observed to be the most deadly. Temperatures soared into the triple digits in the normally temperate climate where people are not accustomed to this level of heat. Many homes in Seattle and Portland are not equipped with air conditioning, making heat waves particularly hard on the region.

A 10-day heat wave in California in late summer of 2022 resulted in 1,911 heat-related ER visits. The researchers were able to pin about 570 of those visits on human-caused warming. According to emergency room physician Dr. Caitlin Rublee, “The data support what we are seeing in our hospitals: More people are getting sick from heat exposure, leading to interrupted work and school days, missed vacations, costly emergency department visits and hospitalizations, and, in some cases, death."

The researchers uncovered that ER visits increased as daily temperatures soared. It only takes a few extra degrees to push the body past the limit of what it can typically handle.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that the early symptoms of heat illness include headache, nausea, weakness, and dizziness. More severe symptoms indicative of a life-threatening situation include seizures, confusion, or unconsciousness.