Why Does Heatstroke Cause Fainting?
Disease description:
The temperature has been very high at noon these past few days. I’ve been playing outdoors continuously without paying attention to heat protection, and consequently suffered heatstroke and fainted. I’m especially curious—why does heatstroke cause fainting?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Wang Mingxuan
Heatstroke primarily occurs when direct sunlight strikes the body, slowing down heat dissipation. Under such conditions, excessively elevated body temperature can easily lead to organ dysfunction. During hot weather, peripheral blood vessels dilate, reducing effective circulating blood volume and resulting in inadequate perfusion; this causes hypoxia in various organs and tissues, potentially leading to shock. Early symptoms of heatstroke include generalized weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea, and decreased sweating, followed by a rapid rise in body temperature, insomnia, and even coma. After onset of heatstroke, the individual should immediately be removed from the high-temperature environment and placed in a cool, well-ventilated location.
