Heat exhaustion and heatstroke

When to get medical help

Severe heat exhaustion or heatstroke requires hospital treatment.

You should call 999 for an ambulance if:

the person doesn't respond to the above treatment within 30 minutes
the person has severe symptoms, such as a loss of consciousness, confusionor seizures

Continue with the treatmentoutlined above until the ambulance arrives.

If the person is feeling better afterusing the above measures, but you have any concerns about them, contact your GP or NHS 111 for advice.

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018

Articles for heat exhaustion and heatstroke

Introduction

Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are two potentially serious conditions that can occur if you get too hot. They usually happen during a heatwave or in a hot climate, but can also occur when you're doing very strenuous physical exercise.

Signs and symptoms

Heat exhaustion or heatstroke can develop quickly over a few minutes, or gradually over several hours or days. Signs of heat exhaustion can include: tiredness and weakness feeling faint or Lighthe

What to do

If you notice that someone has signs of heat exhaustion, you should: get them to lie down in a cool place such as a room with air conditioning or somewhere in the shade removeany unnecessary clo

When to get medical help

Severe heat exhaustion or heatstroke requires hospital treatment. You should call 999 for an ambulance if: the person doesn't respond to the above treatment within 30 minutes the person has s

Who's most at risk?

Anyone candevelop heat exhaustion or heatstroke during a heatwave or while doing heavy exercise in hot weather. However,some people are at a higher risk. These include: elderly people babies and y

How to prevent heat exhaustion and heatstroke

Heat exhaustion and heatstroke can often be prevented by taking sensible precautions when it's very hot. During the summer, check for heatwave warnings, so you're aware when there's a potential dange

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