Heat stroke
A medical emergency where body temperature rises above about 106°F and the body's temperature control fails.
Definition, in the source's words
NIOSH, Criteria for a Recommended Standard: Occupational Exposure to Heat and Hot Environments (Pub. 2016-106), Glossary(opens cdc.gov in a new tab)“An acute medical emergency caused by exposure to heat from an excessive rise in body temperature [above 41.1°C (106°F] and failure of the temperature-regulating mechanism”
What it means
Signs include confusion, slurred speech, seizures or loss of consciousness. Treat it as an emergency: call 911 and start cooling right away, without waiting for the ambulance.
Example
On a roofing crew, a worker becomes confused in the afternoon heat. The crew treats it as heat stroke: one person calls 911 while others move the worker to shade and cool them with water and ice.
Where it appears on the exam
ASP: ASP11 Domain 6, Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Health
Practice: Heat Stress (NIOSH Criteria), Heat Index, WBGT and Wind Chill Calculations
CSP: CSP11 Domain 6, Occupational Health and Applied Science
CHST: CHST5 Domain 2, Emergency Preparedness, Incident Investigation, and Response
Practice: Heat Illness Prevention and First Response, Heat Index, WBGT and Wind Chill
Questions
- Is heat stroke the same as heat exhaustion?
- No. Heat exhaustion is less severe. Heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency in which the temperature-regulating mechanism fails.
Related
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