What heat actually does to the body

• Heat stress causes core body temperature to rise, triggering compensatory mechanisms including sweating and vasodilation that can become overwhelmed in extreme conditions, leading to heat-related illness
• Vulnerable populations—including older adults, those with chronic conditions, and individuals on certain medications—have impaired thermoregulatory responses and require particular clinical vigilance during heat waves
• Early recognition of heat illness progression (heat exhaustion to heat stroke) is critical, as rapid core temperature elevation can cause multi-organ dysfunction; cooling interventions must be prioritised in suspected heat stroke cases

The BBC's health and science correspondent, James Gallagher, does some tests to show you.

ClinicaliQ summarises and contextualises external updates for clinical awareness, then links to the original publisher for the full article and most current context.