Heat stroke

Heat Stroke: A Life‑Threatening Condition

Heat stroke is the most severe form of body overheating, posing an immediate threat to life. It is a medical emergency that requires an immediate call for an ambulance. Unlike heat exhaustion, which results from dehydration, heat stroke occurs when the body's thermoregulatory system completely fails. The body loses its ability to cool down, and its internal temperature rapidly rises to critical levels (40°C and above), leading to brain and internal organ damage.

Mechanism of Thermoregulatory Failure

The thermoregulatory center located in the hypothalamus (a region of the brain) stops responding adequately to overheating. The most dramatic manifestation of this failure is cessation of sweating. Since sweat evaporation is the primary cooling method, its absence leads to uncontrolled and rapid rise in body temperature. Without emergency cooling, irreversible damage can occur within minutes.

Key Symptoms of Heat Stroke

Symptoms of heat stroke differ dramatically from those of heat exhaustion and require immediate action.

• High body temperature: 40°C or higher.
• Hot, red, DRY skin. Lack of sweat is the main warning sign.
• Severe, throbbing headache.
• Dizziness, disorientation, confusion.
• Loss of consciousness.
• Seizures.
• Accelerated, strong pulse.

Before the ambulance arrives, the primary task is to begin cooling the victim by any available means: move them to shade or a cool room, apply cool water, or place cold compresses.