Diagnosis and management of heat stroke and other heat-related illness in the emergency department.

Heat-related illness encompasses a spectrum of conditions ranging from heat cramps and heat exhaustion to life-threatening heat stroke, all resulting from impaired thermoregulation under excessive environmental heat load. The incidence and severity of heat-related illnesses are increasing, underscoring the need for evidence-based emergency management strategies. Accurate diagnosis requires differentiating heat-related illness from conditions that may mimic hyperthermia. Timely recognition and rapid cooling are the cornerstones of management. This review summarizes current evidence on the diagnosis, treatment, and disposition of heat-related illness in the emergency department, with an emphasis on distinguishing heat stroke from conditions with overlapping clinical presentations and on optimizing cooling interventions.