heat stroke heat stroke heat stroke or heatstroke, also known as sun stroke, is a severe heat illness that results in a body temperature greater than 40.0 °c (104.0 °f), along with red skin, headache, dizziness, and confusion. sweating is generally present in exertional heatstroke, but not in classic heatstroke. the start of heat stroke can be sudden or gradual. heatstroke is a life-threatening condition due to the potential for multi-organ dysfunction, with typical complications including seizures, rhabdomyolysis, or kidney failure. not to be confused with heat intolerance. heat strokeother namessun stroke, siriasisperson being cooled with water spray, one of the treatments of heat stroke, in iraq in 1943specialtyemergency medicinesymptomshigh body temperature, red, dry or damp skin, headache, dizziness, confusion, nauseacomplicationsseizures, rhabdomyolysis, kidney failuretypesclassic, exertionalcauseshigh external temperatures, physical exertionrisk factorsextremes of age, heat waves, high humidity, certain drugs, heart disease, skin disordersdiagnostic methodbased on symptomsdifferential diagnosisneuroleptic malignant syndrome, malaria, meningitistreatmentrapid cooling, supportive careprognosisrisk of death <5% (exercise induced), up to 65% (non exercise induced)deaths> 600 per year (us) heat stroke occurs because of high external temperatures and/or physical exertion. it usually occurs under preventable prolonged exposure to extreme environmental or exertional heat. however, certain health conditions can increase the risk of heat stroke, and patients, especially children, with certain genetic predispositions are vulnerable to heatstroke under relatively mild conditions. preventive measures include drinking sufficient fluids and avoiding excessive heat. treatment is by rapid physical cooling of the body and supportive care. recommended methods include spraying the person with water and using a fan, putting the person in ice water, or giving cold intravenous fluids. adding ice packs around a person is reasonable but does not by itself achieve the fastest possible cooling. heat stroke results in more than 600 deaths a year in the united states. rates have increased between 1995 and 2015. purely exercise-induced heat stroke, though a medical emergency, tends to be self-limiting (the patient stops exercising from cramp or exhaustion) and fewer than 5% of cases are fatal. non-exertional heatstroke is a much greater danger: even the healthiest person, if left in a heatstroke-inducing environment without medical attention, will continue to deteriorate to the point of death, and 65% of the most severe cases are fatal even with treatment. signs and symptoms heat stroke generally presents with a hyperthermia of greater than 40.6 °c (105.1 °f) in combination with disorientation. however, high body temperature does not necessarily indicate that heat stroke is present, such as with people in high-performance endurance sports or with people experiencing fevers. exertional heat stroke is more accurately diagnosed based on a constellation of symptoms rather than just a specific temperature threshold. there is generally a lack of sweating in classic heatstroke, while sweating is generally present in exertional heatstroke. early symptoms of heat stroke include behavioral changes, confusion, delirium, dizziness, weakness, agitation, combativeness, slurred speech, nausea, and vomiting. in some individuals with exertional heatstroke, seizures and sphincter incontinence have also been reported. additionally, in exertional heat stroke, the affected person may sweat excessively. if treatment is delayed, patients could develop vital organ damage, unconsciousness and even organ failure. in the absence of prompt and adequate treatment, heatstroke can be fatal. causes