IPHY 2420 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Heat Cramps, Heat Exhaustion
Document Summary
Heat cramps occur during intense activity in the heat. Heat cramps are painful cramps in the abdomen, arms or legs. If you get heat cramps, stop activity immediately and get water or gatorade. Heat exhaustion develops over several days, due to extended outdoor activity. It can be caused by prolonged periods of fluid imbalance, vomiting, introduction to a new environment where you have to work outdoors a lot, cool skin, heavy sweating, and elevated blood pressure. If somebody develops heat exhaustion, get them to a cool environment and give them gatorade. Heatstroke is when the temperature regulation system in the body completely shuts down. Heatstroke occurs in hot/humid environments often over 80 degrees. Heatstroke can cause complete permanent organ damage or failure, increases in body temperature over 105 degrees, and can cause death in professional athletes (exertional heatstroke). Heat acclamation is the body s time frame to adjust to a new environment.