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American Morning
Going High Tech to Beat the Heat
Aired August 21, 2003 - 06:55 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Well, whether it's NFL or the Pee Wee Leagues, heat stroke is serious, even deadly. It's a deadly danger for athletes of all ages, as a matter of fact. With football practice in full swing, some teams are going high tech to beat the heat.
Dr. Sandra Fryhofer is here with more and she's got her stuff.
You look like a ghost buster.
DR. SANDRA FRYHOFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I do, kind of. But this is one of these high tech devices to help with the heat. It's the Gang Ready Cooling Vest. And it can be worn on the sidelines to prevent over heating.
What you do is you put ice and water in this control unit. It's ready to go. You connect it right here on the side. And then it pumps water, cold water, into this vest which I'm wearing. And as you can see right in here, there's a bladder that will, when the cold water...
COSTELLO: Fill with water?
FRYHOFER: Fill with water and you will get nice and cool.
COSTELLO: How much does it weigh after that?
FRYHOFER: Well, when it doesn't, when it's not loaded, it's pretty light. But it's not, it's cool and it's convenient, but it's not cheap. The vest itself retails for about $700. This cooling unit adds an additional $2,000. And it's certainly a lot more expensive than a bag of ice, which many experts say is still the best way to cool someone on the field.
COSTELLO: I can't imagine many parents buying this for their kids.
FRYHOFER: You know, it might work for hot flashes.
COSTELLO: Oh, another use. I could imagine many women buying it for that.
FRYHOFER: A little expensive, though. They may want to save that $2,500 for something Chanel.
COSTELLO: Exactly.
Well, let's get serious again. When is hot too hot and who's at the greatest risk?
FRYHOFER: Well, Carol, the danger zone usually begins once temperatures hit about 75 degrees. But it can get dangerous at even lower temperatures and when you add all the padding and the protective gear, it can really get bad. So that's a concern for athletes.
Also, when the humidity is high, the sweat doesn't evaporate as well so it's harder for the body to cool itself.
Now, risk factors for heat related illness in athletes include the use of nutritional supplements, including ephedra; also certain medications, like antihistamines, decongestants, asthma medicines; also Ritalin, diuretics, alcohol; also poor conditioning can increase your risk, in addition to medical conditions like a fever or a stomach bug. And, of course, dark clothing makes a big difference and the padding, of course, makes it a lot harder to cool off.
Heat exhaustion symptoms need to be caught immediately. They include headache, muscle cramps, weakness, nausea, vomiting, dizziness. And if not recognized and treated right away with fluids and rest in a cool, shaded area, they can lead to heat stroke, which is a true medical emergency.
Another easy way to beat heat stroke, stay hydrated. Athletes should drink one to two cups of water before practice and additional fluids every 15 to 20 minutes during practice.
And some of the pro sports teams are getting these. About 35 teams have them and it's an expensive way, but it works.
COSTELLO: Well, they can afford it.
FRYHOFER: Good point.
COSTELLO: Dr. Sandra Fryhofer, many thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired August 21, 2003 - 06:55 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Well, whether it's NFL or the Pee Wee Leagues, heat stroke is serious, even deadly. It's a deadly danger for athletes of all ages, as a matter of fact. With football practice in full swing, some teams are going high tech to beat the heat.
Dr. Sandra Fryhofer is here with more and she's got her stuff.
You look like a ghost buster.
DR. SANDRA FRYHOFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I do, kind of. But this is one of these high tech devices to help with the heat. It's the Gang Ready Cooling Vest. And it can be worn on the sidelines to prevent over heating.
What you do is you put ice and water in this control unit. It's ready to go. You connect it right here on the side. And then it pumps water, cold water, into this vest which I'm wearing. And as you can see right in here, there's a bladder that will, when the cold water...
COSTELLO: Fill with water?
FRYHOFER: Fill with water and you will get nice and cool.
COSTELLO: How much does it weigh after that?
FRYHOFER: Well, when it doesn't, when it's not loaded, it's pretty light. But it's not, it's cool and it's convenient, but it's not cheap. The vest itself retails for about $700. This cooling unit adds an additional $2,000. And it's certainly a lot more expensive than a bag of ice, which many experts say is still the best way to cool someone on the field.
COSTELLO: I can't imagine many parents buying this for their kids.
FRYHOFER: You know, it might work for hot flashes.
COSTELLO: Oh, another use. I could imagine many women buying it for that.
FRYHOFER: A little expensive, though. They may want to save that $2,500 for something Chanel.
COSTELLO: Exactly.
Well, let's get serious again. When is hot too hot and who's at the greatest risk?
FRYHOFER: Well, Carol, the danger zone usually begins once temperatures hit about 75 degrees. But it can get dangerous at even lower temperatures and when you add all the padding and the protective gear, it can really get bad. So that's a concern for athletes.
Also, when the humidity is high, the sweat doesn't evaporate as well so it's harder for the body to cool itself.
Now, risk factors for heat related illness in athletes include the use of nutritional supplements, including ephedra; also certain medications, like antihistamines, decongestants, asthma medicines; also Ritalin, diuretics, alcohol; also poor conditioning can increase your risk, in addition to medical conditions like a fever or a stomach bug. And, of course, dark clothing makes a big difference and the padding, of course, makes it a lot harder to cool off.
Heat exhaustion symptoms need to be caught immediately. They include headache, muscle cramps, weakness, nausea, vomiting, dizziness. And if not recognized and treated right away with fluids and rest in a cool, shaded area, they can lead to heat stroke, which is a true medical emergency.
Another easy way to beat heat stroke, stay hydrated. Athletes should drink one to two cups of water before practice and additional fluids every 15 to 20 minutes during practice.
And some of the pro sports teams are getting these. About 35 teams have them and it's an expensive way, but it works.
COSTELLO: Well, they can afford it.
FRYHOFER: Good point.
COSTELLO: Dr. Sandra Fryhofer, many thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
