One of popular forms of hyperthermia (a condition in which body becomes overheated) is heatstroke. Well… people with this health condition can experience the dramatically elevated of body’s temperature. Therefore, this disease can be categorized into potentially life-threatening, and need emergency medical attention otherwise can lead to a fatal accident if not properly & promptly treated! So, what are risk factors and causes of heat stroke?
You may also like to get to know more about heat stroke treatment at home, before continuing! Sometimes, heatstroke is also familiar called as ‘sun stroke’. People with this health condition can experience the high level of the body’s temperature (40 C /104 F -- or higher).
Heat stroke causes
The heat of the body is usually generated by the metabolism process and other mechanisms in the body. And this heat should be re-balanced normally through evaporation of sweating and radiation mechanisms on the skin.
In many cases, strenuous activity and exposure to the unfriendly hot environment are common causes of heat stroke.
Heavy exercise or strenuous activity
For this case is also familiar known as ‘exertional heat stroke’. It is a condition when the elevated body’s temperature occurs due to doing physical activity /heavy exercise, particularly in hot weather.
If you do your heavy physical activity or exercise in hot weather, there is a chance for the body of developing heat stroke -- especially if your body is not accustomed to the high level of temperature.
Non-exertional type
This type is caused by the exposure to a prolonged hot temperature of the environment (without strenuous activity), which is usually more common in individuals with chronic disease and in elderly people.
What else you should know?
In some cases of heat stroke, there are also other factors that can lead to this health problem. Some of these factors may include;
You may also like to get to know more about heat stroke treatment at home, before continuing! Sometimes, heatstroke is also familiar called as ‘sun stroke’. People with this health condition can experience the high level of the body’s temperature (40 C /104 F -- or higher).
Heat stroke causes
The heat of the body is usually generated by the metabolism process and other mechanisms in the body. And this heat should be re-balanced normally through evaporation of sweating and radiation mechanisms on the skin.
In many cases, strenuous activity and exposure to the unfriendly hot environment are common causes of heat stroke.
Heavy exercise or strenuous activity
For this case is also familiar known as ‘exertional heat stroke’. It is a condition when the elevated body’s temperature occurs due to doing physical activity /heavy exercise, particularly in hot weather.
If you do your heavy physical activity or exercise in hot weather, there is a chance for the body of developing heat stroke -- especially if your body is not accustomed to the high level of temperature.
Non-exertional type
This type is caused by the exposure to a prolonged hot temperature of the environment (without strenuous activity), which is usually more common in individuals with chronic disease and in elderly people.
What else you should know?
In some cases of heat stroke, there are also other factors that can lead to this health problem. Some of these factors may include;
- Dehydration! In individual with dehydration, the body may not work well to provide adequate liquid for sweating. And as well we know that the mechanism of sweating is important to help the body to control the body’s temperature.
- Drinking beverages that contain caffeine /alcohol, particularly if consumed excessively. Both substances may also affect the mechanism of the body to regulate the body’s temperature. Therefore, people who are high risk of developing heat stroke should avoid consuming caffeine /alcohol, or doctors may ask them to consume both substances in moderately!
- Wearing excessively clothing! This is not good for the air circulation which then can raise the body’s temperature.
The heat index is closely related to heatstroke. It is a measurement on how you feel to the combination between air temperature and humidity level. A relative humidity level of higher than 60 percent may hamper the evaporation of sweating which then can affect the body’s ability to cool itself.
The following are some factors /conditions that can put you or someone at higher likelihood of developing heat stroke!
- Age, especially for older adults who are over the age of 65, and infants & kids up to the age of 4 -- because this group usually has slower performance in adjusting to the heat than others.
- There are certain inherited traits that may also affect the mechanism of your body to response the heat stress. This is one of possible causes of why the response to the heat varies from person to person.
- There are also some certain medications that may increase your risk! These include; (a) medications associated with psychiatric disease (like antipsychotics and antidepressants for depression), (b) medications to treat blood pressure & heart problems (such as vasoconstrictors), (c) medications for seizure (like anticonvulsants), (d) sedatives, (e) illegal stimulants, (f) certain pills for diet, (g) antihistamines, (h) tranquilizers, and (i) diuretics. Ask a doctor for more in depth-information!
- Certain health conditions! You may have higher risk of having heat stroke if you have certain health problems such as; sunburn, sickle cell trait, diabetes (either type-1 or type-2 diabetes), problems associated with the weight (either for underweight or overweight), kidney /lung disease, alcoholism, certain mental illnesses, problems associated with high blood pressure and heart, and other health problems that can generate fever.
- In a room that has poor circulation or hot temperature! For people who have several risk factors of heatstroke, they should not be a room or certain condition that has high air temperature. Install the right BTUs size of air conditioner if necessary for better result. If there is an existing air conditioning in the room, don’t forget to keep clean the air filter in order to keep well the quality of air in the room.
- If you have some risk factors of heat stroke, doing exercise or heavy physical activity in hot weather also should be avoided otherwise (as mentioned before) you will be at higher chance of experiencing exertional heat stroke! It’s much better to do your exercise in the early morning, or in the evening when the air temperature of weather is relatively friendlier.
Furthermore, people with some risk factors of heatstroke also should avoid a sudden exposure to the heat or hot weather, particularly if they are not used to the high level of humidity and hot weather!
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Reference: WebMD and MayoClinic
Image credit to ‘shutterstock’ for illustration
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Reference: WebMD and MayoClinic
Image credit to ‘shutterstock’ for illustration
