A severe and often fatal illness produced by exposure to excessively high temperatures, especially when accompanied by marked exertion; characterized by headache, vertigo, confusion, hot dry skin, and a slight rise in body temperature; in severe cases, very high fever, vascular collapse, and coma develop. SYN: heat apoplexy (1), heat hyperpyrexia, malignant hyperpyrexia, thermic fever.
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heat·stroke 'hēt-.strōk n a condition marked esp. by cessation of sweating, extremely high body temperature, and collapse that results from prolonged exposure to high temperature compare HEAT EXHAUSTION
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n.
raised body temperature (pyrexia), absence of sweating, and eventual loss of consciousness due to failure or exhaustion of the temperature-regulating mechanism of the body. It is potentially fatal unless treated immediately: the body should be cooled by applying damp cloths and body fluids restored by giving drinks or intravenous injections of salted water.
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heat·stroke (hētґstrōk″) see under stroke.Medical dictionary. 2011.