Heat Exhaustion vs. Heat Stroke: Know When the Emergency Changes
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Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are related, but they are not the same emergency.
Heat exhaustion
Heat exhaustion can cause headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, thirst, heavy sweating, irritability, elevated body temperature, and decreased urine output.
Move the person out of the heat, remove unnecessary clothing, begin cooling, and encourage frequent sips of cool water if they are awake and able to drink safely. Current CDC/NIOSH guidance also recommends medical evaluation for heat exhaustion; call 911 if medical care is not otherwise available or the person's condition becomes severe.
Heat stroke
Heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency. Warning signs include confusion, altered mental status, slurred speech, seizures, collapse, loss of consciousness, or a very high body temperature.
Do not wait to cool
If heat stroke is suspected, call 911 and begin rapid cooling while EMS is responding. Move the person to a cooler area, remove outer clothing, and cool quickly with cold water, wet cloths, or a cold-water or ice bath when practical.
In Arizona, confusion in the heat should change the urgency immediately.
Related Guardian Field Notes
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- Calling 911: The Information Dispatchers Need First
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Source and further reading: CDC/NIOSH — Heat-related Illnesses. Educational information only; call 911 for suspected heat stroke.