Acute Vertebrobasilar Territory Infarcts due to Heat Stroke

Heat stroke is common in tropical country like India especially during the summer season. We report an unusual case of acute vertebrobasilar territory infarcts due to heat stroke. A middle-aged man developed hyperpyrexia (42.2 degrees C) after strenuous fieldwork in a hot summer day. Next morning, he was found in altered sensorium. The brain imaging showed acute posteromedial midbrain and cerebellar infarcts. A diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke due to heat stroke was made, and the patient was put under the intensive care unit. Two weeks later, the patient became conscious, but had slurred speech and incoordination in all the 4 limbs. Six months after rehabilitation, the patient still have scanning speech and limb ataxia. Acute ischemic stroke worsened the prognosis in our patient. Acute infarct is a very rare neurologic manifestation of heat stroke. This case report emphasizes the importance of suspecting acute infarct in heat stroke patient. (C) 2015 by National Stroke Association