Heat Syndrome - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Heat Syndrome is a rare condition that, historically, has been so difficult to categorize, that it has been considered either a rare symptom of another condition, or merely fictional. Heat syndrome may result from conditions that increase heat production, such as excessive exercise, infection. Heat syndrome can also stem from factors that impair heat dissipation including high temperatures or humidity, lack of acclimatization, excess clothing, cardiovascular disease, obesity, dehydration, sweat gland dysfunction, and drugs such as phenothiazines and anticholinergics. It is a term for describing the condition of a tiny sliver of humanity whose cellular metabolism is incapable of handling the more average temperature variations of the outside world. A person afflicted with heat syndrome might generally shy from direct sunlight, or avoid going outside at all on a hot day; but might otherwise seem completely normal.

Causes of Heat Syndrome

The common causes and risk factor's of Heat Syndrome:

• Excessive exercise.
• Infection.
• Drugs (for example. amphetamines).
• High temperatures or humidity.
• Cardiovascular disease.
• Dehydration.
• Sweat gland dysfunction.

Symptoms of Heat Syndrome

Some sign and symptoms related to Heat Syndrome are as follows:

• Headache.
• Light headedness.
• Faintness.
• Loss of co-ordination.
• Nausea.

Treatment of Heat Syndrome

• Treatment for heat exhaustion involves moving the patient to a cool environment, providing rest, and administering oral fluid and electrolyte replacement.
• Shivering is controlled with diazepam or chlorpromazine.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Application of hypothermia blankets and ice packs to the groin and axillae also helps lower body temperature.
• Supportive measures include oxygen therapy, central venous pressure and pulmonary artery wedge pressure monitoring, and, if necessary, endotracheal intubation.