Heatstroke: Research
Top Research
1. Heatstroke patients require temperate water treatment
Heatstroke victims require ice or cold water treatment. Latest research carried out by associate professor Nigel Taylor, at the University of Wollongongon, Australia suggests that temperate water treatment can be more effective treatment than treating the victim with ice. Immersing a victim into cold-water may shut down the blood supply to the skin. This in turn, would keep the body heat trapped within, and may lead to further complication. To provide instant relief, heatstroke victims need to be immersed into cold water with a temperature of about 14 degree Celsius. However, cooling in temperate water can provide equal relief though the time taken may be marginally longer.ย
Via:ย http://www.medindia.net/news/Temperate-Water-A-Better-Therapy-for-Heat-Stroke-Than-Ice-44211-1.htm
2. Researchers close to finding new heatstroke drug
A clinical trial conducted jointly by a team of institutions have discovered that heat stroke can be prevented by activating compound AICAR. When the body gets overheated, this compound stops calcium leak in the muscle cell through the ryanodine receptor. This process blocks abnormal muscle contractions, and thus helps in restoring muscle strength. The experiment was carried out on mice and proved to be 100% effective in preventing heatstroke or heat induced death. As ryanodine receptor genes are also found in humans, the discovery can help scientists find a drug for heatstroke.
Via:ย http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120112162417.htm
3. New research on attenuate impact of heatstroke on brain
Researchers carried out trials on rats with heatstroke to find how Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-Ira) effects the blood flow to the cerebrum and causes damage to the neurons in the hypothalamus. It was found that these rats displayed a higher value of neuronal damage score, and lower value of cerebral blood flow. Also it was found that the heatstroke rats had increased Interleukin-1 in the brain stem, diencephalon, and cortex. The results indicate that IL-1ra reduces cerebral ischemia and thereby lessens the impact of cerebral neuronal damage brought about by heat stroke. As the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) is also found in humans genes, scientists are now focusing on how to attenuate the effect of heat stroke on patients by enhancing the levels of Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-Ira).
Via: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/036192309500046H