MD
Chief Medical Officer
Korey Stringer Institute at UCONN
Storrs, CT
John Jardine is a board-certified emergency medicine physician with 25 years of clinical experience. His career began in EMS as a New York State EMT and paramedic. He serves as the medical director for the Falmouth Road Race, an annual August running event, and during his 25 years in that role, Dr. Jardine has treated more than 500 cases of exertional heat stroke.
He also serves as Chief Medical Officer for the Korey Stringer Institute at the University of Connecticut, whose mission is to provide research and education to optimize safety and prevent sudden death among athletes, warfighters, and laborers. Dr. Jardine serves on the Expert and Advisory Board of the World Academy for Endurance Medicine for World Athletics. He has co-authored more than 35 peer-reviewed articles on the subject and is recognized as an expert in the treatment of exertional heat stroke.
Heat stroke is the most severe form of heat-related illness. Defined by an elevated core body temperature and central nervous system dysfunction, it can be categorized as either classic or exertional in nature. In both forms, heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency that can become rapidly fatal if not recognized and treated quickly.
Much has been studied and reported on heat stroke in the athletic world; however, laborers working in extreme heat are also highly vulnerable. Exertional heat stroke (EHS) is the leading cause of exertional (non-accidental)-related deaths (87.6%) among laborer populations.
Despite the success of cold-water immersion (CWI) in treating EHS in athletic settings, best-practice knowledge and implementation within EMS remain limited. Studies have shown that protocols are often lacking or nonexistent, educational resources may be outdated, and many EMS providers do not have the necessary equipment to assess and manage these patients effectively.
This presentation will review the success of CWI in athletics and discuss the incorporation of this evidence-based treatment into EMS protocols. The presentation will introduce a new EMS approach to reducing morbidity and mortality associated with EHS: Recognition, Assessment, Cooling, and Emergency Care (R.A.C.E.) for the prehospital treatment of exertional heat stroke.
