Andreas Wer ner, Hanns-Chris tian Gunga
W ä r m e h a u s h a l t s - u n d Te m p e r aturregulation des M e n s c h e n i n e x t r e m e n U m w e l t en und Physiologie u n d P a t h o p h y s i o l o g i e d e s Individuums
Regulation of Heat Balance and Body Temperature of Humans in Extreme Environments, and the Physiology and Pathophysiology of the Individual
SUMMARY Heat stress is a significant factor for many activities; the losses originating from it have a high value for all non-military and military organisations. By applications in regions with a strong climatic load (hot/dry, warm/humid) the heat load is an important factor regarding endurance ability and care. The heatstroke is to be equated to a serious wound and can prevent the use of a person for a long period. By the planning of applications a special job comes up concerning clarification of relations, because not only the clinical side (treatment of heat illness), but knowledge of the climatic relations must be considered. Personal losses through heat result from a combination of different conditions (work, clothes, environment, liquid balance etc.) which cannot lead individually, but in the summation to the heat illness. This external influence is complemented with the multiple variables of the individual heat tolerance and the achievement state. The risk of a heat illness can vary depending on the respective situation very strongly. Heavy, impervious protective clothes show an important factor with the origin of a heat load. Studies to the heat load were carried out mostly in healthy, young men of the military in labs, more seldom in young children, women and/or older populations. Furthermore, not only laboratory studies are needed, but those studies have also to be performed in the field. All these studies might be useful to elaborate more precisely a heat strain index 259
