Heat stroke during the 2025 summer heatwave in Northwestern India: A tertiary care emergency department case series
- 1Department of Emergency Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical (JLN) College and Associated Hospitals, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India *Corresponding author
Abstract
Heat stroke is a life-threatening medical emergency, characterized by a core body temperature above 40°C with central nervous system dysfunction. Population living in arid and northwestern regions are particularly vulnerable during prolonged summer heatwaves. This case series describes the clinical spectrum and outcomes of patients with heat stroke presenting to the emergency department of a tertiary care teaching hospital in such a region during the 2025 heatwaves. We retrospectively reviewed 10 consecutive patients with heat stroke admitted between May 1, 2025 and July 31, 2025. Data on demographics, clinical presentation, cooling methods, laboratory parameters, complications, and outcomes were extracted from the medical records. Ten patients (7 male and 3 female) ranged in age from 22 to 78 years; six had classic (nonexertional) heat stroke; and four had exertional heat stroke (EHS). All presented with hyperthermia (mean 41.2°C) and altered mental status, ranging from agitation to coma. The complications were frequent: acute kidney injury occurred in 70% of patients, severe rhabdomyolysis (creatine phosphokinase >10,000 U/L) in 40% (all EHS), hepatic dysfunction in 80%, and disseminated intravascular coagulation in 20%. Rapid, active cooling was initiated in all cases. The overall in-hospital mortality was 20%. This series highlights the severe, multisystem nature of heat stroke in this setting and underlines the importance of early recognition, prompt cooling, and aggressive supportive care.
Related
- Performance of the Heatwave ED Forecast Tool in the Emergency Department Network of Ticino Canton, Switzerland
- Sociodemographic and Clinical Profile of Homeless Patients Attending the Emergency Department of a Tertiary Care Centre in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India: A Prospective Observational Study
- Accuracy of Caregiver Dosing of Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen for Febrile Children Presenting to a Saudi Arabian Tertiary Hospital Emergency Department.
- Time-critical sepsis interventions and clinical outcomes among children in a tertiary Tanzanian emergency department.
- Incidence and Outcomes of Endotracheal Intubation in Patients Presenting With Acute Poisoning to the Emergency Department of a Tertiary Care Center in India: A Prospective Observational Study
BibTeX
@article{siva2026heat,
title = {{Heat stroke during the 2025 summer heatwave in Northwestern India: A tertiary care emergency department case series}},
author = {KV Siva and Jahnu Bhoj Nagal and Kavita Jain},
journal = {Turkish Journal of Emergency Medicine},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.4103/tjem.tjem_417_25},
url = {https://doi.org/10.4103/tjem.tjem_417_25},
note = {CC BY-NC-SA 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Heat stroke during the 2025 summer heatwave in Northwestern India: A tertiary care emergency department case series
AU - KV Siva
AU - Jahnu Bhoj Nagal
AU - Kavita Jain
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/10
JO - Turkish Journal of Emergency Medicine
DO - 10.4103/tjem.tjem_417_25
UR - https://doi.org/10.4103/tjem.tjem_417_25
AB - Heat stroke is a life-threatening medical emergency, characterized by a core body temperature above 40°C with central nervous system dysfunction. Population living in arid and northwestern regions are particularly vulnerable during prolonged summer heatwaves. This case series describes the clinical spectrum and outcomes of patients with heat stroke presenting to the emergency department of a tertiary care teaching hospital in such a region during the 2025 heatwaves. We retrospectively reviewed 10 consecutive patients with heat stroke admitted between May 1, 2025 and July 31, 2025. Data on demographics, clinical presentation, cooling methods, laboratory parameters, complications, and outcomes were extracted from the medical records. Ten patients (7 male and 3 female) ranged in age from 22 to 78 years; six had classic (nonexertional) heat stroke; and four had exertional heat stroke (EHS). All presented with hyperthermia (mean 41.2°C) and altered mental status, ranging from agitation to coma. The complications were frequent: acute kidney injury occurred in 70% of patients, severe rhabdomyolysis (creatine phosphokinase >10,000 U/L) in 40% (all EHS), hepatic dysfunction in 80%, and disseminated intravascular coagulation in 20%. Rapid, active cooling was initiated in all cases. The overall in-hospital mortality was 20%. This series highlights the severe, multisystem nature of heat stroke in this setting and underlines the importance of early recognition, prompt cooling, and aggressive supportive care.
SN - 2452-2473
ER -