Hyperthermia
From ArticleWorld
Hyperthermia, also called heat stroke or sunstroke, is a severe condition that occurs when the body's heat controlling mechanism fail to control heat, as the body absorbs or produces too much heat. Most commonly, this occurs due to exposure to excessive heat. It usually follows a heat exhaustion or a heat prostration hyperthermia requires immediate hospitalization and must be treated as a medical emergency.
When this happens, the core body temperature starts getting higher and higher uncontrollably. When body temperature climbs above 40 degrees Celsius, life is already threatened. "Brain death" begins to occur at over 41 degrees Celsius, and temperature above 45-46 degrees Celsius are almost always deadly. Temperatures above 50 degrees are always fatal, as muscles become rigid and the heart cannot sustain the metabolism anymore.
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Symptoms
The first symptom announcing a heat stroke is the loss of sweating. Sweating is the most important way of regulating the body temperature. When dehydration occurs, the organism cannot afford to continue perspiration, because this means fluid loss. The body loses its ability to radiate much of the heat it absorbs.
The person affected by hyperthermia becomes very irritable, confused and may seem drunk. Blood pressure starts dropping when fluids inside the blood are used by the body for other purposes, which may lead to dizziness or fainting. In order to prevent cells from oxygen starvation, heart rate and respiration rate increase considerably, and blood vessels dilate, making the skin become red. The victim may feel hot and have chills, as if they had fever, and some people can have convulsions. Severe dehydration will lead to vomiting or nausea, and, later, temporary blindness. When temperature is so high that body organs begin to fail, the victim may become unconscious or enter coma, and even die.
First aid
Hyperthermia requires immediate hospitalization, so you should call for help as soon as possible. Until help arrives, you should try to lower body temperature. Above all, move the victim away from direct exposure to heat or sunlight. If you cannot move him to a cool indoors environment, at least put him in the shade. Apply compresses with cool water on neck, head and groin, and remove any unnecessary clothing. You may wrap the person in a cool wet towel. Be careful not to use ice or very cold water, that can lead to hypothermia or cause some other complications. Baths should also be avoided because the affected person may lose consciousness and drown. If the situation is not extremely severe, you can also give water or some other cool liquid, but avoid caffeine, alcohol or any other diuretic liquids. Place the person in a recovery position. Keep monitoring the heart rate and breathing, and be prepared to perform a CPR.
Prevention
You can prevent hyperthermia by taking a number of common-sense measures. If you are going to work in a hot environment, or under direct sunlight, wear lightly-colored, loose-fitting clothes that allow perspiration to evaporate. At the same time, drink plenty of liquids, to compensate fluid loss by perspiration. No matter how tempting a beer would seem during a hot day, you should avoid it, as well as any other kind of drink with diuretic properties. You should avoid sustained physical exercise in such environments. If you will be exposed to direct sunlight, wear a hat, or at least a cap, to prevent over-warming of head and neck.
Clinical usage
Hyperthermia is sometimes induced artificially, in treatment of cancer
Codes:
- ICD-10 code: T67
- ICD-9 code: 780.6