Citation

Epstein Y, Albukrek D, Kalmovitc B, Moran DS, Shapiro Y. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 1997; 813: 553-558.

Affiliation

Heller Institute of Medical Research, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9100934

Abstract

A case in which prescription medications induced heat intolerance which led to heat stroke is presented. A subject who suffered from depression and was treated with fluoxetine HCL (prozac) and lithium carbonate was engaged in mild intermittent work for 4 hours under hot/dry climatic conditions (Ta = 37 degrees C, rh = 15%). The subject lost consciousness, was hyperthermic and suffered from disseminated intravascular coagulation. A year later residual cerebellar symptoms were still evident and severe atrophy of the cerebellar tissue was demonstrated in a CT scan. It is suggested that drug-induced heat intolerance was the predisposing factor that reduced the patient ability to sustain exercise-heat stress, and under the favorable environmental circumstances led to excessive heat accumulation which ultimately caused heat stroke. This is the first description, to our knowledge, of heat intolerance of a patient treated by a combination of fluoxetine and lithium carbonate.

Language: en