Heat stroke in adults
Heatstroke is a common cause of sudden illness (up to loss of consciousness) in stuffy rooms, baths, on the beach in the shade of an umbrella or in public transport. Thousands of people suffer from such a problem every year, but not everyone is able to recognize the first symptoms of heat stroke.

Severe nausea, darkening of the eyes, weakness and loss of consciousness – both the elderly and very young people can face the symptoms of heat stroke. A dangerous condition for the body can have quite serious consequences even for a healthy person. If heat stroke occurs in people with chronic pathologies, irreversible changes in the nervous system and internal organs are possible.

What is heat stroke

Heat stroke is a pathological condition of the body caused by a violation of thermoregulation under the influence of high air temperatures. Overheating leads to a violation of the water-salt balance, oxygen starvation of the brain and a malfunction of the cardiovascular system.1.

Causes of heat stroke in adults

The most comfortable temperature for a person is considered to be 17 – 25 ° C with a relative humidity of 50 – 70%, however, in reality, such weather rarely happens in our country.

But the conditions for thermal shock are quite enough. It can be “earned” not only in hot weather outside, but also in a sauna, on a crowded bus, or simply in a cramped and stuffy room or a hot workshop.2.

Against the background of high temperature and high humidity, heat stroke can be provoked by:

  • lack of fresh air supply;
  • dense, oppressive synthetic clothing;
  • physical exercise;
  • overwork of the body;
  • dehydration;
  • binge eating3.

Symptoms of heat stroke in adults

With mild heatstroke, a person feels sudden weakness, drowsiness, or vice versa, increased excitability. There is reddening of the skin, increased blood pressure. In the absence of timely assistance, the patient’s well-being worsens – dizziness and vomiting appear, headache increases, breathing and heartbeat quicken, body temperature rises.

With moderate heat stroke, a person experiences dizziness, stupor, weakness, loss of strength, coordination and gait are disturbed, and vomiting does not bring relief. Nosebleeds, fever up to 38 – 40 ° C and loss of consciousness are possible.

In severe heat stroke, a person’s vision is impaired, body temperature rises to 40 °C or more, and convulsions may occur. In this case, there are violations of the heart rhythm, confusion, hallucinations, delirium or even coma4.

Help with heat stroke in adults

  • The victim must be moved as soon as possible to the shade or to a cool room and put a roller under his feet.
  • Turn on the air conditioner or fan, put a cold towel or any other cooled object on the person’s forehead (a can of canned food from the refrigerator, a freezer wrapped in a towel, etc.).
  • Unfasten clothing that restricts the chest, men need to remove their tie and belt.
  • Give the victim cool water without gas or rehydron solution. If it is not in the first aid kit, you can cook it yourself – 1 tbsp. salt, 2 tbsp. sugar and a teaspoon of soda per liter of water. This will help replenish lost fluid and electrolytes.
  • You can also cool the body by applying wet towels or bags of cold water to the places where the large arteries pulsate (in the armpits, groin, and neck).
  • While one person is providing first aid, others should call an ambulance without delay!

Important! Doctors warn that it is impossible to cool the body abruptly using a cold shower or bath, as this will increase the load on the heart and can lead to even more serious consequences than overheating itself.

  • When a person feels bad, but he does not complain about anything, do not give him medicines. Do not complicate the human condition and the work of ambulance doctors.
  • If consciousness is disturbed, then turn the victim on his side to prevent vomit from entering the respiratory tract.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis of “heat stroke” is made on the basis of an external examination of the victim and his complaints, if he is conscious. To assess the severity of heat damage, the doctor measures body temperature, pulse and blood pressure. In a serious condition, the patient may be assigned additional studies.5.

Modern treatments

Qualified medical care for heat stroke is provided by ambulance workers, resuscitators, cardiologists and other specialists. If necessary, an indirect heart massage, artificial respiration, intravenous infusion of saline solutions and the introduction of drugs to stimulate the central nervous system are done. In severe cases, the victim will be taken to a hospital, where they will carry out a full range of resuscitation measures, including stimulation of cardiac activity and oxygen therapy.6.

Recovery from heat stroke depends on the extent of the injury. Doctors urge you to refrain from excessive physical exertion in the following days, adhere to a calm regimen, and avoid stress.7 and follow the recommendations of doctors.

Prevention of heat stroke in adults at home

Here are some tips to help you avoid heat stroke:

  • in hot weather, wear loose clothing and a headdress made of light-colored natural materials;
  • use sunscreen with at least SPF > 30;
  • avoid prolonged stay in stuffy rooms;
  • take frequent breaks and rest in a cool and well-ventilated area;
  • take a cool shower;
  • drink plenty of fluids;
  • abstain from alcohol;
  • ask correctly;
  • do not leave children and animals in a locked car in the heat;
  • reduce physical activity in hot weather.

Popular questions and answers

Can you die from sunstroke?

Unfortunately, in difficult situations this is possible. Remember the times when parents locked their children in cars standing in the sun and went about their business. Particularly at risk are people with cardiovascular diseases, as well as athletes who do not reduce the pace of exercise when exercising in stuffy rooms or under the scorching sun. The body cannot cope with heat exchange, the body temperature rises, and as a result, multiple organ failure may develop.

Or, against the background of a heat stroke, a person falls and is injured on a hard surface, and may receive a head injury.

For which category of adults is heatstroke dangerous in the first place?

Pregnant women, the elderly, those with chronic heart or lung disease, those who are obese or underweight, and those with hypertension or diabetes are most susceptible. Healthy and active people of young and middle age can get heat stroke during heavy intense physical activity.

What is the difference between heat stroke and sunstroke?

Sunstroke is a pathological condition associated with damage to the central nervous system with prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.

Thermal shock, on the other hand, occurs as a result of a violation of heat transfer as a result of external thermal factors (temperature, humidity, physical activity).

The symptoms for both types of stroke are similar. The only difference is that sunstroke is often accompanied by burns.

How long do the effects of heat stroke last?

The duration of heatstroke depends on the severity of the injury and the timeliness of medical care.

Can there be heatstroke without fever?

Heat stroke is a condition caused by overheating of the body, so it often leads to a significant increase in body temperature. With a mild degree of severity of the pathology, subfebrile condition can be observed.

Who is at risk?

In the high-risk area: infants, the elderly, military personnel in hazmat suits, people under the influence of alcohol, athletes training intensively in hot weather, people wearing dark, tight clothes or drinking little water.

At what temperature does heat stroke develop?

Being outside in the heat, especially between 12 and 16 p.m. and when doing heavy or prolonged physical work, is fertile ground for heat stroke.

Predisposing factors may be high humidity, lack of a hat, synthetic dark clothing, dehydration, alcohol abuse.

  1. FEDERAL STATE INSTITUTION OF HEALTH “MEDICAL AND SANITARY PART OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL RUSSIA FOR THE SARATOV REGION” Sun and heat stroke: signs, symptoms, first aid. URL: https://msch.64.mvd.rf/document/6654372
  2. Rakhimbaev R.B., Tashenov D.K., Sedenko V.A. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke. // Vestnik AGIUV. 2008. No. 1-2. URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/teplovoe-istoshenie-i-teplovoy-udar

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  3. Litvitsky Petr Frantsevich Disorders of the body’s heat balance: hyperthermia, hyperthermic reactions, heat stroke, sunstroke // VSP. 2010. №1. URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/narusheniya-teplovogo-balansa-organizma-gipertermiya-gipertermicheskie-reaktsii-teplovoy-udar-solnechnyy-udar
  4. A.G. Denisenko HEALTH DISORDERS AND DEATH FROM EXPOSURE TO EXTREME TEMPERATURES Vitebsk 2018, Guidelines. https://www.elib.vsmu.by/bitstream/123/17769/1/Denisenko-AG_Rasstrojstvo_zdorov%27ia_i_smert%27_ot_dejstviia_krajnikh_temperatur_2018.pdf
  5. Lazarev N.N., Urazbakhtin Z.M., Sokolova V.V. Influence of seeding rates on the formation of ornamental lawns from single-species crops of cereal grasses and grass mixtures // Izvestiya TSHA, issue 5, 2011. https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/vliyanie-norm-vyseva-na-formirovanie-dekorativnyh-gazonov- iz-odnovidovyh-posevov-zlakovyh-trav-i-travosmesey/viewer
  6. Shevelev Oleg Alekseevich, Butrov A.V., Cheboksarov D.V., Khodorovich N.A., Lapaev N.N., Pokatilova N.S. Pathogenetic role of cerebral hyperthermia in brain lesions // Clinical Medicine. 2017. No. 4. URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/pathogeneticheskaya-rol-tserebralnoy-gipertermii-pri-porazheniyah-golovnogo-mozga
  7. Cooper KE. Some responses of the cardiovascular system to heat and fever. Can J Cardiol. May 1994; 10

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