# Inadequate Cardiovascular and Thermoregulatory Responses in the Elderly during Heat Waves

> **NIH NIH F32** · UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER · 2020 · $60,068

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Heat waves are the deadliest natural disaster and disproportionately affect the health of the elderly. This
increased mortality and morbidity in the elderly is primarily cardiovascular in origin. However, our current
understanding of the cardiovascular responses of the elderly to heat stress is limited to non-physiological
models. Therefore, the overall objective of this work is to identify markers of increased cardiovascular
and thermoregulatory stress during heat wave-like conditions in the elderly. Aim 1 will assess the
cardiovascular responses of the elderly to heat wave conditions. Specifically, we hypothesize that elderly
participants, aged older than 65, will demonstrate impaired cardiovascular responses during simulated heat
wave conditions compared to younger adults. We will comprehensively assess the cardiovascular and thermal
responses of elderly participants and younger adults exposed to two heat wave conditions, hot and humid
(replicating the 1995 Chicago heat wave), hot and dry (replicating the 2018 Los Angeles heat wave). Aim 2 will
determine predictors of poor cardiovascular and thermoregulatory responses to heat wave conditions in the
elderly. We anticipate that inter-individual variations in resting cardiovascular function can be used to predict
poor thermoregulatory and cardiovascular responses to simulated heat wave conditions in elderly participants.
Using an exploratory predictive modeling approach to analyze the data from Aim 1, we will identify baseline
and demographic factors that predict poor responses to heat stress in the elderly. The expected outcomes of
this work will establish foundational knowledge of the cardiovascular and thermoregulatory consequences of
heat waves for the elderly, that can be used to target future strategies and therapies to help reduce the health
risks to this vulnerable population.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10066249
- **Project number:** 1F32HL154565-01
- **Recipient organization:** UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Luke Belval
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $60,068
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-30 → 2021-09-04

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10066249

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10066249, Inadequate Cardiovascular and Thermoregulatory Responses in the Elderly during Heat Waves (1F32HL154565-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-01 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10066249. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*