The Institute of Sport Exercise and Health’s (ISEH) Professor Courtney Kipps, MSc alumni Dr Amy Boalch, and Dr Dan Fitzpatrick (currently a Sports and Exercise Medicine registrar at ISEH), contributed to a multidisciplinary team that developed a consensus statement on Exertional Heat Illness which was recently published by the Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care.
Exertional Heat Illness (EHI) is characterised by a rise in core body temperature and impaired thermoregulation during or shortly after exercise or physical activity. Its severity can range from mild to life-threatening. The increasing frequency, severity, and duration of extreme heat events globally, driven by climate change, further echoes the importance of addressing these conditions.
The consensus provides evidence-based guidelines and expert recommendations for recognising, diagnosing, and managing EHI in pre-hospital settings. These guidelines are designed to support emergency care providers at all levels, from first aiders to advanced pre-hospital emergency medicine (PHEM) practitioners and critical care teams.
The recommendations also aim to assist organisations such as the NHS, Fire and Rescue Services, mass event organisers, sports organisations (both elite and community-level), voluntary aid charities, and government bodies, including the Ministry of Defence (MOD).
The team identified a critical gap in high-quality evidence for Exertional Heat Illness within the existing literature. This gap underscores the need for further research to enhance understanding and inform future practices.
These new guidelines are an important step forward in supporting emergency responses to heat-related illnesses, especially as current trends show this is becoming increasingly more common, with global climate challenges.
