Heat injury is characterized by

• A. Moderate to severe heat illness characterized by organ and tissue injury with sustained high body temperature
• B. Mild dehydration with fatigue
• C. CNS dysfunction with temperature > 105
• D. Severe muscle cramps with cola-colored urine

Answer: (A)

Heat injury refers to the more severe end of heat-related problems, where sustained exposure to high core temperature causes actual damage to cells and organs. The best statement captures this by describing moderate to severe heat illness with organ and tissue injury accompanying a sustained high body temperature. That emphasis on tissue/organ damage differentiates heat injury from milder heat-related conditions.

Milder dehydration describes a less severe state without tissue injury. CNS dysfunction with a very high temperature describes heat stroke, which can involve the brain but isn’t the defining feature of heat injury itself. Cola-colored urine and severe muscle cramps point to potential complications like rhabdomyolysis but aren’t the core characteristic of heat injury.