What is the medical term for heat stroke?

Heat stroke happens when the body cannot control its temperature and overheating begins to affect the brain and other organs. Confusion, unusual behaviour, collapse, seizures, or loss of consciousness are warning signs. The skin may feel hot and the person may sweat heavily, lightly, or not at all, so sweating does not rule it out. Heat exhaustion is a related but less severe heat illness; it can progress if cooling and fluids do not correct the problem.

Call emergency services immediately. Move the person to shade or a cool room, remove extra clothing, and cool the skin with cool wet cloths, water spray, or fanning while help is coming. Stay with them and place them on their side if they are unconscious but breathing. Do not give drinks to someone confused, drowsy, vomiting, or unable to swallow safely. Hospital care may include monitoring and IV fluid therapy.

Treat confusion, fainting, seizure, severe headache, very hot skin, or collapse after heat exposure as an emergency. Repeated vomiting, a high temperature, worsening weakness, or failure to improve after moving to a cool place also needs urgent assessment. Do not wait for a thermometer reading if the person's mental state is changing.

After treatment, ask what likely triggered the overheating, how to return safely to activity, which medicines or illnesses increase heat risk, and what early warning signs should lead to immediate help.