Heat Illness Competency
Heat Syncope
It occurs in unfit or heat-unacclimatized persons. This condition is attributed to dehydration and it usually occurs during the first 5 days of unaccustomed heat exposure.
Treatment: move patient to a shaded area, monitor vital signs, elevate the legs above the level of the heart, cool the skin, and rehydrate.
Heat Exhaustion
The inability to effectively exercise in the heat, secondary to a combination of factors (cardiovascular insufficiency, hypotension, energy depletion, central fatigue). It most often affects heat-unacclimatized or dehydrated individuals.
- Elevated core body temperature (<40.5 C)
- High rate or volume of skin blood flow
- Heavy sweating
- Dehydration
- Fatigue, weakness, dizziness, headache, vomiting, nausea, lightheadedness, low blood pressure, and impaired muscle coordination.
Treatment: Remove any excess clothing and equipment. Move patient to a cool or shaded area. Monitoring the vital signs, place the patient in the supine position with legs elevated above the heart to promote venous return.
Exertional Heat Stroke (EHS)
Most SEVERE heat illness. It is characterized by CNS dysfunction and high core body temperature (105 F).
Signs and symptoms include disorientation, confusion, dizziness, loss of balance, staggering irritability, irrational or unusual behavior, apathy, aggressiveness, hysteria, delirium, collapse, loss of consciousness, and coma
Patient usually has hot, sweaty skin
Treatment: The goal is to lower core body temperature to less then 102 F within 30 min of collapse. The length of time the core body is above the critical temperature threshold dictates morbidity and risk of death. When EHS is detected the patients should be quickly immersed in a pool or tub of cold water (35 F to 59 F). Excess clothe and equipment removal should be done will the patient is immersed in cold water. Rectal temperature and vital signs should be monitored every 5 to 10 minutes. Patent can be removed from the cold water when the temperature reaches 102 F.
Heat Syncope
It occurs in unfit or heat-unacclimatized persons. This condition is attributed to dehydration and it usually occurs during the first 5 days of unaccustomed heat exposure.
Treatment: move patient to a shaded area, monitor vital signs, elevate the legs above the level of the heart, cool the skin, and rehydrate.
Heat Exhaustion
The inability to effectively exercise in the heat, secondary to a combination of factors (cardiovascular insufficiency, hypotension, energy depletion, central fatigue). It most often affects heat-unacclimatized or dehydrated individuals.
- Elevated core body temperature (<40.5 C)
- High rate or volume of skin blood flow
- Heavy sweating
- Dehydration
- Fatigue, weakness, dizziness, headache, vomiting, nausea, lightheadedness, low blood pressure, and impaired muscle coordination.
Treatment: Remove any excess clothing and equipment. Move patient to a cool or shaded area. Monitoring the vital signs, place the patient in the supine position with legs elevated above the heart to promote venous return.
Exertional Heat Stroke (EHS)
Most SEVERE heat illness. It is characterized by CNS dysfunction and high core body temperature (105 F).
Signs and symptoms include disorientation, confusion, dizziness, loss of balance, staggering irritability, irrational or unusual behavior, apathy, aggressiveness, hysteria, delirium, collapse, loss of consciousness, and coma
Patient usually has hot, sweaty skin
Treatment: The goal is to lower core body temperature to less then 102 F within 30 min of collapse. The length of time the core body is above the critical temperature threshold dictates morbidity and risk of death. When EHS is detected the patients should be quickly immersed in a pool or tub of cold water (35 F to 59 F). Excess clothe and equipment removal should be done will the patient is immersed in cold water. Rectal temperature and vital signs should be monitored every 5 to 10 minutes. Patent can be removed from the cold water when the temperature reaches 102 F.