Heat cramps

Background

1. Painful, involuntary, spasmodic contractions of skeletal muscles
   1. Usually affects calves, thighs and shoulders
2. Occurs to pts who are sweating profusely and replace fluid losses with water
   1. May occur during exercise or during a rest period several hrs later
   2. Relative hyponatremia

Differential Diagnosis

Environmental heat diagnoses

• Heat cramps
• Heat edema
• Heat exhaustion
• Heat tetany
• Heat stroke
• Heat syncope
• Miliaria
• Hyperthermia

Treatment

1. Self-limited
2. Pain is difficult to treat
   1. often does not respond to opiates alone
3. Gatorade or NS IV

See Also

• Heat Emergencies

Source

Tintinalli