Which statement best describes heat stroke?

• A. Cold skin and severe shivering
• B. Core temperature ≥40°C with altered mental status and little or no sweating
• C. Mild sweating with normal mental status
• D. Stable vital signs with fatigue

Answer: (B)

Heat stroke is a life-threatening heat illness where the body's cooling system fails, causing a dangerously high core temperature and brain dysfunction. The best description is a core temperature at or above 40°C (104°F) with altered mental status and little or no sweating. This combination shows that overheating has overwhelmed the central nervous system and thermoregulation, which is what makes heat stroke more severe than other heat-related illnesses. Skin may be hot and dry, though in some exertional cases sweating can still occur; the key signs are the very high temperature and altered mental status.

This distinguishes it from milder heat illnesses, where sweating is usually present and mental status is not as affected. It also differentiates from hypothermia, which presents with cold skin and shivering. Because rapid cooling is essential, treat as an emergency and initiate immediate cooling while arranging rapid transport.