Heat stress is a condition in which the increase in core body temperature overwhelms the body’s homeostatic thermoregulation abilities, thus producing and absorbing more heat than the body could dissipate [1]. This results in a wide spectrum of heat-related illnesses, ranging from minor conditions such as heat cramps and heat exhaustion to the more severe condition known as heat stroke. Heat stroke is defined as a core body temperature of beyond 40.60C, commonly associated with the dysfunction of the Central Nervous System (CNS) and the failure of multiple organ systems, which may ultimately result in disability or death. [2] Heat stress can be categorized into two different entities: classical and exertional. Classical or environmental heat …show more content…
A year later, Khogali and Al-Khawashki (1984), reported a similar cooling rate (0.050C/min) when the BCU was used to cool 174 cases of heat-stroke patients [10]. The BCU is also used to cool patients with exertional heat stress in Singapore. An analysis of 12 cases back in 1996 was conducted. In 4 cases, their rectal temperature increased during BCU treatment. In the remaining 8 cases, the average cooling rate was -0.060C/min, which was in agreement with that reported by Khogali. However, another similar study performed by DSO in 2002, testing 22 male subjects, revealed an even greater cooling rate of 0.100C/min using the BCU [7]. Ice water immersion was also found to be extremely effective in reducing the rectal temperature in humans. Costrini reported a high success rate in reducing the rectal temperature of heat-stroke casualties at a rate of 0.150C/min by immersing them in a large tub of ice water until rectal temperature was reduced to 39.00C …show more content…
This is due to the steep temperature gradient between the ice water and the skin. However, the use of large barrels or tubs to submerge patients in iced water is logistically not feasible for use during en rout cooling. The solution then is to provide an alternative cooling system that is more portable and at the same time, able to deliver an acceptable or improved temperature gradient in cooling. Ideally, cooling rates of >0.080C/min is found to be more effective in reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with heat injury