How Heat Exhaustion and Dehydration Mimic Other Health Problems

Heat exhaustion has a talent for making people think they're dealing with something completely different. During summer months, emergency rooms fill up with people convinced they're having heart attacks, strokes, or catching some terrible flu when the real problem is just too much heat and not enough water.

The overlap between heat-related symptoms and serious medical conditions creates genuine confusion. Even doctors sometimes need to run tests to figure out what's actually going on.

When Your Heart Feels Like It's Failing

Overheating makes the heart work overtime. It's pumping blood to the skin for cooling while dealing with less fluid than usual. This combination creates chest tightness, racing heartbeat, and trouble breathing that feels exactly like a heart attack.

Dehydration drops blood pressure too, causing dizziness and weakness. These symptoms send people rushing to emergency rooms during heat waves, certain they're having cardiac problems.