Heat Stroke Treatment Urgent Care Q&A

The primary cause of heat stroke is prolonged exposure or strenuous physical activity in a hot environment, leading to dehydration and overheating of your body. Consequently, individuals who are wearing excess clothing, drinking alcohol, or not drinking enough water while spending long periods outside on a hot day, whether they are physically active or not, are at higher risk of experiencing heat stroke.

In addition to alcohol consumption, wearing excess clothing, or not drinking enough water, some other risk factors for heat stroke include the following:

• Chronic illnesses, including heart or lung disease
• Lack of access to air conditioning
• Individuals who are aged 65 and older
• Particular medications, including certain antidepressants, antipsychotics, blood pressure medications, or diuretics
• Sudden increase or exposure to hot weather, such as flying from a cold climate to a hot one

With heat stroke, treatment varies according to the severity of the patient’s condition. Consequently, milder forms of heat stroke, often referred to as heat exhaustion, typically involve the administration of intravenous (IV) or oral fluids to prevent or treat dehydration, as well as electrolyte replacement, having the patient lie down flat on their back, and removing the patient to a cold room. For severe heat stroke or if symptoms of mild heat stroke get worse or do not improve within an hour, patients typically require emergency room treatment, which could involve cooling blankets, evaporation cooling techniques, ice packs, immersion in cold or ice water, as well as medications to help the patient stop shivering.

When heat stroke occurs, your body becomes unable to control or regulate its temperature, a process known as thermoregulation. Once the body reaches an internal temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) or higher, it begins to overheat, slowing down blood flow, elevating your heart rate, and diminishing organ function in the process, including your body’s ability to produce sweat and cool itself. As a result, when your body cannot cool itself, your body’s internal temperature begins to rise rapidly, leading to heat stroke.

With that in mind, some symptoms of heat stroke include the following:

• Abdominal or muscle cramps
• Altered mental state, including agitation, confusion, delirium, irritability, slurred speech, or loss of consciousness
• Clammy, flushed, or pale skin
• Dark-colored urine, which is a sign of dehydration
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Excessive sweating, followed by an abrupt stop in sweating, or no sweating at all
• Fainting
• Fatigue
• Nausea and vomiting
• Rapid and shallow breathing
• Throbbing headache
• Weak and racing pulse

Heat stroke is also referred to as sunstroke. As such, there is no qualitative difference between heat stroke and sun stroke since both terms refer to the same condition.

For an appointment with us at Priority Urgent Care or more information about heat stroke treatment, we welcome you to contact us, schedule an appointment through our website. We serve patients from Ellington CT, Unionville CT, East Haven CT, Cromwell CT, Oxford, CT and Newington, CT, and BEYOND!