Which symptom is more typical of heat exhaustion than heat stroke?

• A. Dry, hot skin
• B. Heavy sweating
• C. Confusion
• D. No sweating

Answer: (B)

Sweating pattern is the key clue here. In heat exhaustion, the body's cooling system is still active, so you often see heavy sweating as the person tries to shed heat. The skin is usually moist and the person may feel fatigued or nauseated, but mental status is typically preserved. In heat stroke, thermoregulation fails and sweating can stop, leaving the skin hot, dry, or sometimes moist early on but rapidly becoming dry, and confusion or other mental status changes may occur. So heavy sweating is the symptom most typical of heat exhaustion. Dry, hot skin and no sweating point toward heat stroke, and confusion is more commonly associated with heat stroke than with uncomplicated heat exhaustion.