Heat-Associated Conditions in the Athlete
Heat-related illnesses and conditions include heat stroke, syncope, collapse, edema and cramps which occur in athletes exercising in warm conditions who have an elevated core temperature. Hyperthermia is defined as the elevation of core body temperature above the normal diurnal range of 36 to 37.5ºC, due to failure of thermoregulation. Hyperthermia is different from the more common sign of fever, which is induced by cytokine activation during inflammation and regulated at the level of the hypothalamus. It is important for the clinician to review additional differential diagnoses as outlined in Table 1 below.
Table 1. Differential Diagnosis of Hyperthermia (Adopted from Lanken, 2000)
Table 2. Steps in assessment of severity in a collapsed athlete (Noakes 2007)
HEAT STROKE
Table 3. Factors predisposing to heat intolerance among active adults (Epstein 1990)
1. if he or she fails to regain consciousness within 30 minutes of appropriate therapy and has returned to a rectal temperature of 38C (100F).
Complications of Hyperthermia
Figure 1. Exercise associated collapse algorithm
Exercise-associated muscle cramps or “heat cramps”( EAMC)
Exercise associated Hyponatremia ( EAH)
Clinical Features and risk factors of EAH
Read More @ Wiki Sports Medicine: https://wikism.org/Heat_Related_Illness_Main
Authors
- Assistant Professor Department of Orthopedics and Department of Family Medicine, Community Health
- Team Physician – U of Miami Department of Intercollegiate Athletics
- Team Physician – Miami Marlins
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
- Professor of Orthopedics, Family Medicine and Community Health, Biomedical Engineering, Kinesiology
- Research Director – U of Miami Sports Medicine Institute Director – Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship
- Team Physician – U of Miami Department of Intercollegiate Athletics Team Physician – Miami Marlins U of Miami Miller School of Medicine
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
References
1. Bross MH, Nash BT Jr, Carlton FB Jr. Heat emergencies. Am Fam Physician. 1994;50(2):389 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=8042574