DR. KEVIN MILLER AND KSI MEDICAL TEAM HELP SAVE 39 LIVES FROM HEATSTROKE
Nicholas Butler I August 24, 2022
On Sunday, Dr. Kevin Miller, a professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance, joined an interdisciplinary medical team to provide medical care and perform research at the 50th annual Falmouth Road Race. Over 10,000 athletes from all over the world compete in the 7-mile road race on Cape Cod each year. Dr. Miller and the medical team saved 39 athletes from deadly exertional heatstroke; a condition identified when the body temperature exceeds 105 degrees Fahrenheit occurs alongside central nervous system dysfunction. Dr. Miller and his colleagues from the University of Connecticut, the Korey Stringer Institute, West Virginia University, University of Michigan, and Central Michigan University collected data about heatstroke patients' perceptions of how heatstroke is recognized and treated.
Exertional heatstroke is triggered by physical exertion, particularly in hot and humid conditions. Many individuals who participated in the Falmouth Road Race this year experienced a variety of symptoms associated with exertional heatstroke. Dr. Miller states, “What makes the Falmouth Road Race so interesting to study regarding heat illness is because it’s a short race that occurs every August in Cape Cod. It is a common environment for exertional heatstroke to occur based on the heat, humidity, and race distance. People are determined to perform well and tend to push themselves to achieve the best outcome.”
Each year in the United States, three to four child athletes die from exertional heatstroke during the summer months. In 2017, a sixteen-year-old student named Zachary Martin collapsed from heatstroke at football practice and died 11 days later. This tragedy sparked controversy in the state of Florida and the greater athletic community due to the lack of medical knowledge that could have saved Martin’s life. Another high-profile tragedy occurred in 2018 when Maryland offensive lineman Jordan McNair showed signs of extreme exhaustion and had difficulty standing upright while running a set of 110-yard sprints. McNair was found to have a body temperature of 106 degrees Fahrenheit at a local hospital before he died of heatstroke. The presence of knowledgeable medical personnel, such as athletic trainers who follow best practices for people experiencing exertional heatstroke can treat the life-threatening condition and prevent fatalities.
Dr. Miller and the Falmouth Road Race medical team utilized the best practice medical procedures to identify and treat the participants who suffered from exertional heatstroke. Everyone who experienced forms of heat-related illness had a rectal temperature check to assess their body core temperature. There were also several cold-water immersion tubs (50 gallons) under a stationed medical tent to immerse participants whose rectal temperatures were above 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Dr. Miller states, “The biggest takeaway from the Falmouth Road Race each year is the importance of quick recognition with rectal temperature and using cold-water immersion to treat exertional heatstroke. Many people who suffer from exertional heatstroke are given intravenous therapy (iv) or ice packs that are placed on their skin to cool them down, but those practices are ineffective.”