Types of Heat Illness

Failure to prevent milder military exertional heat illness (EHI) dehydration and mild heat cramps from progressing can result in more serious heat exhaustion or the life-threatening medical emergencies heat stroke and hyponatremia. 

Military medical surveillance tracks cases of heat exhaustion, and the life-threatening heat stroke in its routine monthly weather-related surveillance reporting.

Both Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke are military Reportable Medical Events​​​ 

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​​​Heat Exhaustion (reportable medical event)

Signs and Symp​toms:

• Dizziness, headache, nausea, weakness, unsteady gait, muscle cramps, fatigue
  
• Core temperature elevated but remains below 104⁰F
  
• Symptoms resolve rapidly with cooling interventions
  

Initial Actions:

• Rest casuality in shade
  
• Loosen uniform/remove head gear
  
• Encourage drinking but track volume (no more than 1.5 quarts of water over 1 hour)
  
• Ensure medical evaluation and evacuation 
  

Heat Stroke (re​portable medical event)

Signs and Symptoms:

• Primary symptom is change in mental status (confusion, delirium, combative, loss of consciousness)
  
• Profuse sweating, vomiting, weakness, convulsions and chills
  

Initial Actions:

NOTE: a potentially fatal medical emergency - initiate rapid cooling and Medevac 

• Call EMS or for MEDEVAC
  
• Remove all o​uter ​clothing
  
• Initiate rapid cooling with ice sheets - the faster the body is cooled, the less damage to the brain and organs
  
• Cover all but the face with ice sheets
  
• Ensure the ice sheet is soaked prior to applying to the casualty
  
• Switch ice sheets every 6 minutes with new ice sheets
  

Hyponatremia

Signs and Symptoms:

• Mental status changes
• Repeated vomiting (clear vomit)
  
• Excessive water intake
  
• Poor food intake
  
• Abdomen distended/bloated
  
• Large amounts of clear urine
  

Initial Actions:

• Contact medical (verify hydration and sodium)
  
• Do not give more water or IV fluids
  
• If awake, allow casualty to consume salty foods
  
• Evacuate immediately
  

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