Heat-Induced Illness

Exertion, environmental exposure, or a combination of both can lead to an elevation of core temperature and the subsequent continuum of pathologies that comprise heat-induced injuries. There are no strict diagnostic criteria for heat-induced injuries, except the general assertion that heat stroke should include a core temperature gt;40°C and central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction. Diagnosis and treatment are based primarily on exposure history, potential predisposing factors, and clinical presentation.