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Hvordan unngår du overoppheting og heteslag?

Overoppheting og heteslag kan oppstå ved uvanlig høye temperaturer. Ved overoppheting stiger kroppstemperaturen opp mot 40°C, men man vil være klar og orientert. Stiger temperaturen over 40°C, og man blir forvirret, utvikler kramper eller blir bevisstløs, foreligger heteslag - en livstruende tilstand.

Sola som skinner
Opphold i omgivelser med temperaturer som er høyere enn kroppen er vant til, kan føre til heteslag. Illustrasjonsfoto: Colourbox

Sist oppdatert:

26. juli 2025

Innhold i artikkelen

Hva er overoppheting og heteslag?

Varmerelaterte tilstander representerer et kontinuum av unormale tilstander:

  • Mildere former for varmerelatert sykdom
  • Varmeutmattelse, overoppheting
  • Heteslag
  • Anstrengelsesutløst heteslag

Overoppheting eller varmeutmattelse er en mildere reaksjon på varme. Vanlige symptomer på overoppheting er hodepine, svimmelhet, tørste, muskelsvakhet eller muskelkramper, kvalme og oppkast, slapphet.

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Det som kalles heteslag eller solstikk, oppstår når kroppens temperaturregulering svikter etter lengre opphold i varme omgivelser. Normalt klarer kroppen å holde normal temperatur (37°C) selv om lufttemperaturen øker. Den viktigste mekanismen for å hindre overoppheting er svetting. På varme, fuktige dager reduseres svettingen på grunn av den økte luftfuktigheten. Når svettingen ikke lenger er tilstrekkelig, begynner kroppstemperaturen å stige, og da kan man få symptomer.

Anstrengelsesutløst heteslag utvikler seg raskere enn vanlig heteslag og oppstår vanligvis hos yngre, friske personer. Tilstanden er karakterisert ved varm hud med eller uten svetting og sentralnervøse endringer.

Dette dokumentet er basert på det profesjonelle dokumentet Varmerelaterte tilstander . Referanselisten for dette dokumentet vises nedenfor

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