Effect of Ice Consistency and Sodium Chloride Additives on Cooling Speed and Final Temperature for Cold Water-Ice Immersion in Heat Stroke

The authors investigate how different forms of ice (crushed vs. cubed), the addition of sodium chloride, and the initial water temperature affect the cooling speed and final temperature of cold water-ice immersion for treating heat stroke. Their findings indicate that a mixture of crushed ice, cold tap water, and sodium chloride achieves a significantly lower equilibrium temperature and cools more rapidly compared to other combinations. This suggests that optimizing immersion protocols may enhance cooling efficiency, although the impact on patient outcomes remains to be evaluated.