Fatal Exertional Heat Stroke: A Case Series

Exertional heat stroke (EHS) is one of the most serious conditions that occur when excess heat, generated by muscular exercise, exceeds the body’s heat-dissipation rate. The consequent elevated body core temperature causes damage to the body’s tissues, resulting in a characteristic multiorgan syndro...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American journal of the medical sciences 2004-08, Vol.328 (2), p.84-87
Main Authors: Rav-Acha, Moshe, Hadad, Eran, Heled, Yuval, Moran, Daniel S., Epstein, Yoram
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Autopsy
Biological and medical sciences
Body Temperature
Exercise
Exertional heat stroke
Fatal
General aspects
Heat Exhaustion
Heat Stroke - mortality
Humans
Israel
Male
Medical sciences
Military Personnel
Physical Education and Training
Physical Exertion
Predisposing factors
Temperature
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Summary:Exertional heat stroke (EHS) is one of the most serious conditions that occur when excess heat, generated by muscular exercise, exceeds the body’s heat-dissipation rate. The consequent elevated body core temperature causes damage to the body’s tissues, resulting in a characteristic multiorgan syndrome, which is occasionally fatal. We analyzed the fatal EHS cases that occurred in the Israeli Defence Forces during the last decade according to Minard’s paradigm for evaluation of EHS predisposing factors, aiming to characterize the common features and unique circumstances leading to fatality. Accumulation of predisposing factors, particularly those concerning training regulations, coupled with inappropriate treatment at site, were found to be strong predictors of a grave prognosis. Analysis of the pathologic findings of the fatal EHS cases on autopsy revealed a possible association between the duration and length of exercise prior to EHS occurrence and the extent of pathologic findings. Strict adherence to existing training regulations may prevent further heat stroke fatalities.
ISSN:0002-9629
1538-2990
DOI:10.1097/00000441-200408000-00003