Critical Care

official impact factor 4.60

Commentary

Unprecedented heat-related deaths during the 2003 heat wave in Paris: consequences on emergency departments

Jean-François Dhainaut1*, Yann-Erick Claessens2, Christine Ginsburg3 and Bruno Riou4

Author Affiliations

1 Professor, Emergency and Intensive Care Department, Cochin Port-Royal University Hospital, AP-HP, University Paris 5, France

2 Junior Consultant, Emergency and Intensive Care Department, Cochin Port-Royal University Hospital, AP-HP, University Paris 5, France

3 Senior Consultant, Emergency and Intensive Care Department, Cochin Port-Royal University Hospital, AP-HP, University Paris 5, France

4 Professor, Emergency Department, Pitié-Salpétrière University Hospital, AP-HP, University of Paris 6, France

For all author emails, please log on.

Critical Care 2004, 8:1-2 doi:10.1186/cc2404

Published: 4 December 2003

Abstract

In August 2003, France sustained an unprecedented heat wave that resulted in 14,800 excess deaths. The consequences were maximal in the Paris area. The Assistance Publique–Hôpitaux de Paris reported more than 2600 excess emergency department visits, 1900 excess hospital admissions, and 475 excess deaths despite a rapid organization. Indeed, simple preventice measures before hospital admissions are only able to reduce mortality which mostly occurred at home and in nursing homes.

Keywords:
emergency medicine; heat stroke; heat wave; hyperthermia