**Abstract**

Heat-related illnesses range from heat exhaustion to heat stroke. Heat stroke is a life-threatening medical emergency causing multiple organ dysfunction that if not treated, can be fatal. It is a severe heat illness with a body temperature of more than 400 c and organ dysfunction. Epidemiology of heat stroke varies depending on geographic location, and reported incidences range from 1.98 to 2.89/100000 per year. Heat stroke is classified as exertional or non-exertional. Pathophysiology is exposure to higher temperatures with impaired thermoregulation. Patients will present with high core body temperature; tachypnea, tachycardia, and hypotension may be present. The manifestations of organ dysfunction range from coagulopathy to altered levels of consciousness, and pulmonary edema. Accurate core body temperature measurement with clinical manifestations will diagnose the heat stroke. Early diagnosis, earlier temperature management, and organ supportive care are essential.

**Keywords:** core body temperature, emergency, heat stroke, temperature management, organ supportive care

### **1. Introduction**

Heat-related illness is a spectrum of conditions that severely increase from heat exhaustion and heat injury to life-threatening emergency called heat stroke. The manifestation of heat stroke ranges from delirium to seizures. Heat stroke, or sunstroke, is a life-threatening emergency. It is a severe heat illness that increases body temperature to more than 40°C (104 F), heat stroke causes more than 600 deaths per year in the US [1].
