User:Mr. Ibrahem/Heat illness

Heat illness is a spectrum of disorders due to environmental exposure to heat. Symptoms vary from clusters of pimples with heat rash; muscle cramps with heat cramps; a brief loss of consciousness with heat syncope; heavy sweating, weakness, headache, and nausea with heat exhaustion; and confusion, seizures, and very high body temperature with heat stroke.

Risk factors include other health problems, exercising in the heat, mental illness, alcohol, and recently going from a cooler to hotter climate. Other types of heat injury included by some sources are heat edema and rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown).

Prevention is by drinking sufficient fluids, replacing lost salts, and limiting time in the heat. Public air-conditioned facilities are important during heatwaves for people who do not have access at home. Treatment may include working in a cooler environment, lying down, wetting the skin and clothing with cool water, ice packs in the groin and armpits, and fanning the person.

Heat illness is common. It occurs more commonly in the old and the young. It results in about 650 deaths per year in the United States and represents about 7% of deaths that occur in the wilderness. Males are more commonly affected than females. It is predicted to become significantly more commonly by 2100.