Heat Syncope Treatment Guidelines Handout

What is heat syncope?

Heat syncope, or fainting, is a mild heat-related illness often triggered by physical activity in excessive heat exposure (Paluka, 2019). It is placed at the lower scale of the continuum of heat-related illnesses, alongside conditions such as heat cramps, heat injury, heat stress, and heat rash. As the severity increases, individuals may develop heat exhaustion, and heat stroke may occur at the severely life-threatening end of the scale (Lugo-Amador et al., 2004; Leiva & Church, 2023).

Heat syncope occurs when the body tries to cool itself by dilating blood vessels, reducing blood flow to the brain. This condition is typically worsened by dehydration caused by inadequate fluid intake. Humans can maintain body temperature within a specific range. The body has mechanisms to address temperatures outside this range to a certain degree. When an individual experiences heat syncope, their core body temperature is normal or mildly elevated.

Symptoms of heat syncope include faintness, dizziness, headache, sudden excessive sweating, increased pulse rate, restlessness, nausea, vomiting, and a brief loss of consciousness.

To detect heat syncope, it is crucial to recognize both individuals and areas most at risk. If at risk, encourage the individual to continue doing simple movements after exertion; this will assist with venous blood return to the heart (Peterkin et al., 2016).  

Syncope may manifest as slumping into a lying position while seated or cause a person to fall to the ground from sitting or standing (Roberts et al., 2023). During a syncope episode, the individual may seem to alternate between being aware and unaware of their surroundings.

How do healthcare professionals treat heat syncope?

Healthcare professionals address this condition through various preventive and therapeutic measures, such as:

Prevention

As with many medical conditions, sometimes the best treatment can be prevention. Knowing the relevant risk factors associated with heat syncope and how to recognize them is particularly useful (Peterkin et al., 2016). These include evaluating the weather conditions, paying attention to heat waves and heat index, ensuring proper hydration, and evaluating for predisposing medications or conditions.

Cooling measures

Evidence-based research has shown that the initial treatment should focus on slowing the activity and moving the individual to a cool environment to lower the individual's body temperature (O'Connor, 2017). Such techniques include evaporative cooling, ice water immersion, and whole-body ice packing.

Replacement of fluid

The treatment involves replenishing fluid losses, with a preference for oral rehydration, such as drinking electrolytes or cool water, rather than intravenous rehydration (Leiva & Church, 2023).

Positioning

Placing the individual in supine positioning, with leg elevation above the heart level to assist in venous return (Coris et al., 2004).

Monitor vital signs

Monitor the patient until the individual is alert and has clinically stable vital signs. The individual may then be discharged with instructions to continue resting and rehydrating. Additionally, advise them not to return to activity on the same day (Peterkin et al., 2016). If the individual does not improve despite these measures or shows progressive clouding of consciousness, they should be transported to an emergency facility for further medical care.  

For more details about treating heat syncope, download our free handout template.

How to use our Heat Syncope Treatment Guidelines Handout template

This handout for heat syncope treatment is straightforward to use. To integrate this handout into your practice, follow these steps:

Step 1: Download the template

Access the Heat Syncope Treatment Guidelines Handout template by clicking "Use template," allowing you to edit the resource via the Carepatron app. For a PDF copy, choose "Download."

Step 2: Familiarize yourself with the template

Review the Heat Syncope Treatment Guidelines Handout template to understand its structure and content. The template explains the necessary treatment for heat syncope and offers various treatment plans. It also has a detailed picture of the patient's positioning following heat syncope to make the instructions easier.

The template can be used at sporting events with a high risk of heat syncope or at health practices as a guideline and prevention tool to assist both the practitioner and the patient.

Step 3: Use the template during consultations

Follow the template when treating the patient's heat syncope injury. It will help ensure you provide the correct and necessary treatment and comprehensive details to the patient so they can understand their treatment plan following their injury.

Step 4: Give a copy to patients

Share the Heat Syncope Treatment Guidelines Handout template with the patient to reinforce the information discussed. This allows them to review the details independently and know what to do if it happens independently.

References

Coris, E. E., Ramirez, A. M., & Van Durme, D. J. (2004). Heat illness in athletes: the dangerous combination of heat, humidity and exercise. Sports Medicine, 34, 9-16.

Leiva, D. F., & Church, B. (2023). Heat illness. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31971756/

Lugo-Amador, N. M., Rothenhaus, T., & Moyer, P. (2004). Heat-related illness. Emergency Medicine Clinics, 22(2), 315-327.

O'Connor J. P. (2017). Simple and effective method to lower body core temperatures of hyperthermic patients. The American journal of emergency medicine, 35(6), 881–884. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2017.01.053

Paluka, A. (2019). Heat syncope treatment · Content Editor · Surfer. EMSA. https://emsaok.gov/resource-library/summer-safety-tips/heat-syncope/.

Peterkin, N. D., Atkin, J. S., & Coris, E. E. (2016). What Is the Best Practice for the Treatment of Exertional Heat Illnesses (Heat Cramps, Heat Syncope, Heat Exhaustion, and Exertional Heat Stroke)? Athletic Training & Sports Health Care, 8(3), 97–99. https://doi.org/10.3928/19425864-20160303-01 (Original work published May 1, 2016)

Roberts, W. O., Armstrong, L. E., Sawka, M. N., Yeargin, S. W., Heled, Y., & O’Connor, F. G. (2023). ACSM expert consensus statement on exertional heat illness: recognition, management, and return to activity. Current Sports Medicine Reports, 22(4), 134-149.