Prevención, diagnóstico y tratamiento del golpe de calor

Heat stroke is a serious medical condition that can lead to multiple organ failure and even death if not identified and intervened in a timely manner. The objective is to narratively synthesize the best available evidence regarding the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heat stroke. A systematic search was conducted in Pubmed/MEDLINE and in repositories of standard-setting bodies. Four clinical practice guidelines and eight technical documents were included. The diagnosis of heat stroke is based on a body temperature above 40°C accompanied by clinical symptoms. Prevention focuses on self-care, avoiding excessive exposure to heat, maintaining proper hydration and wearing appropriate clothing. In case of heat stroke, it is essential to move the patient to a cool environment, hydrate and apply physical cooling methods. Treatment is organized in two phases. The first phase is pre-hospital, which includes stabilization, passive cooling and intravenous fluids. The second phase is the hospital phase, where cooling is continued until a rectal temperature of 39°C is reached. Fluids should be administered for hemodynamic support and antipyretics should be avoided. In conclusion, the present narrative review has identified strategies for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of heat stroke, based on the best available evidence.