Chinese foreign medical aid work should pay attention to heat stroke as a preventable disease under global warming context

Abstract

Within the global warming context, heat stroke heavily threatens human health as the most severe type of heat-related illnesses. Despite the urgent onset, severe condition and poor prognosis, heat stroke is entirely preventable and treatable. Most of the recipient countries of Chinese foreign medical aid work are concentrated in the tropical and subtropical regions. It is necessary to popularize the knowledge of heat stroke and improve the ability of diagnose and treatment among foreign medical aid members, which is critical to enhance the quality of medical service and provide better medical care for recipient countries and workers in Chinese-funded institutions. This article reviews the latest research progress in the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of heat stroke to provide scientific reference for actively implementing interventions and reducing morbidity and mortality.