Heat Illness (Print Version)

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Heat Illness

URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/heatillness.html

Also called: Also called: Sunstroke

Your body normally cools itself by sweating. During hot weather, especially with high humidity, sweating just isn't enough. Your body temperature can rise to dangerous levels and you can develop a heat illness. Most heat illnesses occur from staying out in the heat too long. Exercising too much for your age and physical condition are also factors. Older adults, young children and those who are sick or overweight are most at risk. Drinking fluids, replenishing salt and minerals and limiting time in the heat can help.

Heat-related illnesses include

Heatstroke - a life-threatening illness in which body temperature may rise above 106° F in minutes; symptoms include dry skin, rapid, strong pulse and dizziness
Heat exhaustion - an illness that can precede heatstroke; symptoms include heavy sweating, rapid breathing and a fast, weak pulse
Heat cramps - muscle pains or spasms that happen during heavy exercise
Heat rash - skin irritation from excessive sweating

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Start Here

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Extreme Heat(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/faq.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/es/faq.asp
Hyperthermia: Too Hot for Your Health(National Institute on Aging) - http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/hyperthermia.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/Spanish/hyperthermia-sp.htm

Overviews

Extreme Heat(Federal Emergency Management Agency) - http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/heat.shtm

Latest News

Advice for Older Adults on Staying Safe in Hot Weather(07/31/2008, National Institute on Aging) - http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jul2008/nia-31.htm
Keep Your Cool in Hot Weather(07/16/2008, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/Features/ExtremeHeat/
Extreme Heat a Deadly Risk for Older Adults(07/01/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_66464.html

Treatment

Heat Cramps: First Aid(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/first-aid-heat-cramps/FA00021/METHOD=print
Heat Exhaustion: First Aid(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/first-aid-heat-exhaustion/FA00020/METHOD=print
Heatstroke: First Aid(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/first-aid-heatstroke/FA00019/METHOD=print

Prevention/Screening

Extreme Heat: Tips for Preventing Heat-Related Illness(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heattips.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/es/heattips.asp
Heat Exhaustion and Heatstroke: What You Need to Know(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/firstaid/basics/088.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/healthy/firstaid/basics/088.printerview.html
Heat Waves(American Red Cross) - http://www.redcross.org/services/prepare/0,1082,0_243_,00.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/foreignmat/heatwspn.html

Specific Conditions

Heat Rash or Prickly Heat (Miliaria Rubra)(Logical Images) - http://www.visualdxhealth.com/adult/miliariaRubra.htm

Related Issues

Dehydration(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/dehydration/DS00561/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
Heat Index(National Weather Service) - http://www.crh.noaa.gov/pub/heat.php
Hot Weather and Cardiovascular Disease(American Heart Association) - http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4660

Videos

Heat Waves(Healthy Roads Media) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.healthyroadsmedia.org/english/Files/flv/engheatwaves.htm

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Dehydration(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Dehydration%22
ClinicalTrials.gov: Heat Stress Disorders(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Heat+Stress+Disorders%22

Journal Articles

References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Article: Current and future cooling technologies used in preventing heat illness... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18700599&tool=MedlinePlus
Article: Leukocyte activation: the link between inflammation and coagulation during heatstroke.... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18664784&tool=MedlinePlus
Article: Schizophreniform disorder after heat injury in a military recruit. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18621941&tool=MedlinePlus
Heat Illness -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=heat+stress+disorders[majr]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus

Organizations

American Red Cross - http://www.redcross.org/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cruzrojaamericana.org/
National Center for Environmental Health(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health - http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/niosh/
National Institute on Aging - http://www.nia.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://www.nia.nih.gov/Espanol/

Children

Heat Rash or Prickly Heat (Miliaria Rubra)(Logical Images) - http://www.visualdxhealth.com/child/miliariaRubra.htm
How to Be Safe When You're in the Sun(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/watch/out/summer_safety.html
Parents' and Coaches' Guide to Dehydration and Other Heat Illnesses in Children(National Athletic Trainers' Association) - Links to PDF - http://www.nata.org/consumer/docs/parentandcoachesguide.pdf

Teenagers

Dehydration(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/safety/first_aid/dehydration.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/seguridad/dehydration_esp.html
Dehydration and Youth Sports: Curb the Risk(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/dehydration/SM00037/METHOD=print

Seniors

Heat Stress in the Elderly(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/elderlyheat.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/es/elderlyheat.asp
Hyperthermia: Too Hot for Your Health(National Institute on Aging) - http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/hyperthermia.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/Spanish/hyperthermia-sp.htm
Keep it Cool in Hot Weather(National Institutes of Health) - http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2005/August2005/docs/01features_02.htm#feature02

You may also be interested in these MedlinePlus related pages:

Sun Exposure - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/sunexposure.html
Injuries and Wounds - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/injuriesandwounds.html
Symptoms - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/symptoms.html

The primary NIH organization for research on Heat Illness is the National Institute on Aging - http://www.nia.nih.gov/

Heat Illness - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/heatillness.html

Date last updated: September 12 2008

Topic last reviewed: September 04 2008