Features and Outcomes of Classic Heat Stroke
Authors: J C Ayus, A I Arieff
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1999)

Letters6 April 1999Features and Outcomes of Classic Heat StrokeJ. Carlos Ayus, MD and Allen I. Arieff, MDJ. Carlos Ayus, MDBaylor College of Medicine; Houston, TX 77024 (Ayus)University of California Medical Center; San Francisco, CA 94143 (Arieff)Search for more papers by this author and Allen I. Arieff, MDBaylor College of Medicine; Houston, TX 77024 (Ayus)University of California Medical Center; San Francisco, CA 94143 (Arieff)Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-130-7-199904060-00007 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Dematte and colleagues (1) described 58 patients who sustained heat stroke. One patient had cerebral edema, and at discharge, 78% of patients had minimal to severe neurologic impairment. The authors do not suggest a cause for the neurologic impairment, but we offer a possible explanation for their findings.Although heat stroke can by itself lead to brain damage (2), other possibilities are more likely. Hypernatremia is common in elderly persons, largely because they are prone to infection, have impaired thirst, and may not be able to easily obtain water (3). Hypernatremia as a consequence of heat injury ...References1. Dematte JE, O'Mara K, Buescher J, Whitney CG, Forsythe S, McNamee T, et al . Near-fatal heat stroke during the 1995 heat wave in Chicago. Ann Intern Med. 1998;129:173-81. LinkGoogle Scholar2. Knochel JP, Reed G. Disorders of heat regulation.. In: Narins RG, Maxwell MH, Kleeman CR, eds. Clinical Disorders of Fluid and Electrolyte Metabolism. New York: McGraw-Hill; 1994:1549-90. Google Scholar3. Snyder NA, Feigal DW, Arieff AI. Hypernatremia in elderly patients. A heterogeneous, morbid, and iatrogenic entity. Ann Intern Med. 1987;107:309-19. LinkGoogle Scholar4. Ayus JC, Krothapalli RK, Arieff AI. Treatment of symptomatic hyponatremia and its relation to brain damage. A prospective study. N Engl J Med. 1987;317:1190-5. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Ayus JC, Armstrong DL, Arieff AI. Effects of hypernatraemia in the central nervous system and its therapy in rats and rabbits. J Physiol. 1996;492:243-55. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Baylor College of Medicine; Houston, TX 77024 (Ayus)University of California Medical Center; San Francisco, CA 94143 (Arieff) PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoNear-Fatal Heat Stroke during the 1995 Heat Wave in Chicago Jane E. Dematte , Karen O'Mara , Jennifer Buescher , Cynthia G. Whitney , Sean Forsythe , Turi McNamee , Raghavendra B. Adiga , and I. Maurice Ndukwu Cardiac Asystole and Bradycardia as a Manifestation of Left Temporal Lobe Complex Partial Seizure Michael D. Weinstein and Claude Albertario Metrics Cited ByThermal Injury of the Nervous SystemHeat stroke: implications for critical care and anaesthesia 6 April 1999Volume 130, Issue 7Page: 613KeywordsBlood plasmaBrain damageEdemaElderlyHypernatremiaResearch laboratoriesSodiumStrokeSweatVasopressin Issue Published: 6 April 1999 CopyrightCopyright © 1999 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...