heat stress disease

heat stress disease

Critical care A group of conditions due to overexposure to or overexertion in excess environmental temperatures

Heat stress-forms in increasing severity

Heat cramps Non-emergent and treated by salt replacement

Heat exhaustion More serious, treated with fluid and salt replacement

Heat stroke Most commonly affecting extremes of ages, especially the elderly, accompanied by convulsions, delusions, coma and treated by cooling the body and replacement of fluids and salts

Note: The body's reaction to heat is a function of controllable–use of anticholinergics, phenothiazines, alcohol, heavy exercise, clothing, obesity, direct exposure and acclimatization and uncontrollable factors–high ambient temperatures or humidity, lack of air circulation, underlying fever, old age or infancy, ectodermal dysplasia