A case of heat stroke in which first symptom as cardiac arrest with ventricular fibrillation

ABSTRACT

Heat stroke is characterized by hyperthermia with an associated altered mental status. Most heat stroke patients experience a change in consciousness as the first symptom and show a variety of electrocardiography abnormalities. No prior case report has described heat stroke, in which the first symptom was cardiac arrest with ventricular fibrillation. A 67-year-old male presented to the emergency department with an altered mental status after a cardiac arrest. His electrocardiogram at the scene was ventricular fibrillation, and he recovered his spontaneous circulation after defibrillation. The heat stroke was treated with aggressive cooling. Emergency physicians should be aware that heat stroke can cause ventricular fibrillation and can be treated with defibrillation and aggressive cooling.