Heat Illnesses Flashcards
Prickly heat
Inflammatory condition that occurs in response to the heat, caused by blocked sweat glands. Starts as a red rash that is anhidrotic (does not sweat) and progresses until it looks like white papules
Heat cramps
Brief, severe and occur in large muscle groups. Ethology is unknown but it could be linked to salt deficiency. Drinking only water while out in the heat can add to that deficiency. Treat with normal saline and gravol if pt nauseous
Heat syncope
Vasodilation the occurs while the pt is out in the heat causes the blood to go to their limbs. If the pt is standing the blood pools in their feet causing the pt to pass out. Once the pt is laying down the blood rushes back up to the pts brain, returning LOC.
Heat exhaustion
Fluid volume depletion
Water depleted heat exhaustion
Usually occurs in people who are working out in the heat and not drinking enough water or pts who don’t have access to free water (elderly, children). This results in a progressive hypovolemia that eventually leads to heat exhaustion
Salt depleted heat exhaustion
Occurs when the person only drinks water out in the heat and does not replace lost salt.
Heat exhaustion symptoms
-headache
-fatigue
-weakness
- skin moist/sweating
-low bp
-high pulse
Anxiety and confusion
The pt will not have a temp over 40C and wont have major CNS dysfunction
Heat exhaustion treatment
-Get them out of the heat
-replace their fluids quickly until vitals improve
-then slow down the fluids
Heat stroke
Least common but must deadly
Caused by a severe disturbance in the body temperature regulation
Findings to determine heat stroke
Core temp of 40C or higher
ALOC
Signs of severe CNS depression with heat stroke
Coma, seizure, delirium
What can heat stroke lead to?
Widespread tissue damage and organ failure (MODS)
What happens when the body gets too hot?
Proteins denature, cells die, then tissues die, then organs die
What causes CNS changes during heat stroke?
Cerebral edema
Consequences of heat stroke
DIC
Rhabdomyolysis
Heart dysfunction
Pulmonary edema
Liver failure
Renal failure
