Heat Illness/Injury
Last updated 10/02/18
Definition
- Illness secondary to heat exposure
Features
- Common presentation in hot and humid environments
- Largely preventable illness
Classification
- Dehydration
- Exercise associated hyponatraemia: not a direct result of heat injury
- Caused by excessive fluid intake during prolonged physical activity in hot/humid conditions
- Heat Stress: environmental and host conditions that increase body temperature
- Compensated: steady-state core temperature proportional to increased metabolic rate and heat dissapation
- Uncompensated: cooling capacity of body is exceeded and steady body temperature cannot be maintained
- Heat Strain: physiological and psychological effects of heat stress
- Heat Exhaustion
- Heat Stroke
- Heat cramps
- Heat Rash (Miliaria)
- Burns
Causes
- Excessive heat absoprtion from hot environment
- Excessive heat production from metabolic activity
- Failure of adequate cooling mechanism
Risk Factors
- Excessive physical exertion
- Hot climatic conditions with high humidity
- Inadequate fluid intake
- Innapropriate environment
- Innapropriate clothing
- Elderly
- Young children
Associated Signs & Symptoms
- Heat Exhaustion
- Heat Stroke
- Anhydrosis
- Hot dry skin
- Altered mental state
- Hyperthermia >40.5oC
Management
- Prevention
- Adequate hydration
- Acclimatisation
- Appropriate clothing
- Immediate Management
- Remove patient from hot environment
- Lie patient down
- Loosen or remove excessive clothing
- Moisten skin with moist cloth or atomiser
- Ice packs to groin, neck, armpits
- Water to drink if Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) 15/15
- +/- Cool IV Fluids
- +/- Gastric, peritoneal, pleural or bladder lavage with cool fluid
- Antipyretic