Overexposure to heat combined with inadequate rehydration can cause heat stroke, which is a medical emergency. The symptoms are hot, dry, very red skin; generally no perspiration; rapid and strong pulse; labored breathing; loss of consciousness.
Acute medical emergency characterized by rectal temperature at 105° or higher and no sweating, caused by failure of the body’s heat-regulating system.
A heat-related injury that causes headache, dizziness, confusion, and hot dry skin, possibly leading to vascular collapse, coma, and death.
A condition caused by overexposure to heat in which the body stops sweating. Heat stroke is a life-threatening illness that can cause shock, brain damage, and death. The signs of heat stroke include extremely high body temperature, often as high as 106°F; red, hot, dry skin; progressive loss of consciousness; rapid pulse; confusion; and rapid, shallow breathing. Symptoms include weakness and fatigue, headache, dizziness, blurred vision, and vomiting.
A condition resulting from environmental temperatures which are too high for compensation by the body’s thermo-regulatory mechanism(s). It is characterized by hyperpyrexia, nausea, headache, thirst, confusion, and dry skin. If untreated, coma and death ensue. The occurrence of heat stroke is sporadic: whereas a single individual may be affected (occasionally with fatal consequences), his or her colleagues may remain unaffected. Predisposing factors include unsatisfactory living or working conditions, inadequate acclimatization to tropical conditions, unsuitable clothing, underlying poor health, and possibly dietetic or alcoholic indiscretions. The condition can be a major problem during pilgrimages for example, the Muslim Hajj.
Heat stroke is a severe condition that arises from prolonged exposure to extreme heat, wherein the body’s ability to regulate its temperature becomes impaired. Symptoms of heat stroke include intense headaches, high fever, and hot, dry skin. In severe instances, individuals may experience collapse or even enter a state of coma.
The body temperature in heat stroke may reach as high as 106° F. The skin is dry and burning hot, and the casualty rapidly becomes unconscious. First-aid treatment is to get the patients temperature down by placing him in a cool and drafty place. If there is no natural draft one should be created by electric fans or other means. He should then be wrapped in a wet, cold sheet and an ice bag applied to his head. The temperature must not be reduced too suddenly, for this will cause shock. It should be taken at intervals and when it has dropped to around 101° F. the wet sheet should be replaced by a dry one, still keeping the casualty in a current of cool air. If the temperature starts to go up again the wet-sheet treatment should be repeated. When the patient becomes conscious he should be treated as a case of heat exhaustion and given copious drinks of flavored salt water.