August is Heat Stroke

Awareness Month

Certain events should never happen in athletics. A bad outcome following exertional heat stroke (EHS) is one of those NEVER events but it remains one of the leading causes of death in athletes. According to research from the Korey Stringer Institute, with proper planning, rapid recognition, and definitive treatment, EHS is a diagnosis where lasting consequences are 100% preventable.

There are steps that schools/organizations, parents, and even the athletes themselves can take to decrease their risk of exertional heat stroke. There are also critical lifesaving measures that all schools/organizations must be ready to implement to treat exertional heat stroke.

Facts about Exertional Heat Stroke (EHS) from the Korey Stringer Institute

  • Heat acclimatization is the best way to prevent EHS 

  • Otherwise healthy athletes who have EHS almost never stop sweating 

  • Patients with EHS should be cooled first, and transported to an emergency room second; Transporting a patient to the emergency room too soon can delay valuable, life-saving treatment 

  • The most effective cooling modality for an EHS patient involves cold water immersion or a tarp filled with ice cold water 

  • Cooling the patient as quickly as possible prevents death and organ damage as a result of EHS

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