Heatstroke is when the body’s internal temperature has climbed to 104°F or higherfor a sustained period, and the body has lost its ability to cool itself. Without rapid treatment—typically an ice bath, placing ice packs in key regions of the body, or other cooling steps—it can result in multiorgan failure and death.
It’s the top cause of US death in natural disasters, and mounting research shows that more extreme heat days are putting Americans at elevated risk of developing heatstroke and other heat-related illnesses. Young children and the elderly are particularly at risk because their bodies are not as adept at regulating heat. But exertional heatstroke from exercising in extreme heat is a leading cause of deathamong athletes and soldiers in training.
When the body can no longer cool itself, in the short term that can lead to cell degradation and an inflammatory response that damages organs, including the kidneys, liver, and brain. Recent research also furthers the idea that this condition causes longer-term epigenetic changes that predispose people to future health complications.
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