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Heat stroke laboratory findings

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Usama Talib, BSc, MD [2]

Overview

Overview

The laboratory finding scene in patients with a heat stroke include hypophosphatemia, hypokalemia, hypoglycemia, tension of arterial carbon dioxide is usually less than 20 mm Hg. Respiratory alkalosis is seen in non-exertional heat stroke where as lactic acidosis and respiratory alkalosis in exertional heat stroke.[1]

Laboratory Findings

Laboratory Findings

The following laboratory findings may be noticed in a patient with heat stroke:[1][2][3]

Characteristic Exertional Heat Stroke Classic Heat Stroke
Laboratory findings Acid-base disturbance Metabolic acidosis Mixed metabolic and respiratory acidosis
Calcium Nl
Potassium ↓ or ↑ Nl
Phosphate
Blood glucose
Creatine kinase (CK) ↑↑↑
AST, ALT ↑↑↑

Laboratory Findings after Cooling in Exertional Heat Stroke

References

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Kim RC, Collins GH, Cho C, Ichikawa K, Givelber H (1980). “Heat stroke. Report of three fatal cases with emphasis on findings in skeletal muscle”. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 104 (7): 345–9. PMID 6893120.
  2. Leon LR, Bouchama A (2015). “Heat stroke”. Compr Physiol. 5 (2): 611–47. doi:10.1002/cphy.c140017. PMID 25880507.
  3. Macario AJ (1995). “Heat-shock proteins and molecular chaperones: implications for pathogenesis, diagnostics, and therapeutics”. Int J Clin Lab Res. 25 (2): 59–70. PMID 7663007.

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