Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer (BOC) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The condition characterized by an increase in body temperature due to environmental heat is indeed hyperthermia. Hyperthermia occurs when the body's heat production exceeds its ability to dissipate heat, leading to an elevated core body temperature. This can result from exposure to high environmental temperatures, excessive physical exertion, or a combination of both.

Hyperthermia encompasses a range of heat-related illnesses, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke. While heat exhaustion is a form of hyperthermia that presents with mild symptoms such as heavy sweating, weakness, and dizziness, heat stroke is a severe condition that occurs when the body temperature rises to dangerous levels, often accompanied by confusion or loss of consciousness.

Hypothermia, on the other hand, is a condition that involves abnormally low body temperature and is unrelated to environmental heat, making it distinct from hyperthermia. Thus, hyperthermia is the correct term to describe the overall increase in body temperature due to environmental heat exposure.