Cold Injuries

Question 1

What kills in cold?
What kills in heat?

Answer 1

Wind kills in cold
Humidity kills in heat

Question 2

What increases the chance of getting hypothermia?

Answer 2

windchill, dampness/wetness

Question 3

What percentage of body heat is lost through radiation?

Answer 3

65%

Question 4

What percentage of heat is lost through the head and neck?

Answer 4

50%

Question 5

What percentage of body heat is lost through evaporation?

Answer 5

20%

Question 6

When do problems with the cold arise?

Answer 6

When production in heat loss exceeds heat production generated by metabolism

Question 7

At what temperature does shivering stop?

Answer 7

85-90 F

Question 8

At what temperature is death imminent?

Answer 8

77-85 F

Question 9

What stimulates shivering?

Answer 9

A drop in core temperature

Question 10

How can hypothermia be prevented?

Answer 10

Proper apparel for the weather (layers and adjusting them)
Waterproof/Windproof fabrics that allow movement

Question 11

How does hydration help prevent hypothermia?

Answer 11

enhance blood volume and heat maintenance

Question 12

Hypothermia treatment

Answer 12

Prevent further heat loss
Passive external rewarming
Active external rewarming
Active core rewarming
Monitor ABCs

Question 13

Example of passive external rewarming

Answer 13

move to a hot room

Question 13

Example of active external rewarming

Answer 13

blankets, hot water bottles

Question 14

Example of active core rewarming

Answer 14

warm IVs

Question 15

What’s another name for frostbite?

Answer 15

chilblains

Question 16

What causes frostbite?

Answer 16

tissue cooling, vasoconstriction, hypersensitivity, extracellular ice formation
thawing causes capillary to leak and tissue edema causes more ischemia

Question 17

Superficial frostbite

Answer 17

involves skin only
appears hard, pale, cold, and waxy
when rewarming area will feel numb, then sting, then burn
may blister and be painful for several weeks

Question 18

Deep frostbite

Answer 18

indicated frozen skin requiring hospitalization
rapid rewarming (100-110) necessary
tissue will become blotchy, red, swollen, painful, and may be gangrenous

Question 19

1st degree frostbite

Answer 19

partial skin freezing
erythemia, edema, no blisters
no necrosis
skin may pool for a week or 2 after
stings, throbs, aches, burns

Question 20

2nd degree frostbite

Answer 20

erythema, edema, blisters, clear fluid, numbness, vasomotor dysfunction

Question 21

3rd degree frostbite

Answer 21

full thickness skin freezing, subcutaneous tissue freezing, necrosis, skin discoloration

Question 22

4th degree frostbite

Answer 22

full thickness skin freezing, subcutaneous tissue freezing, muscle and tendon freezing

Question 23

What is the only way to cure 4th degree frostbite?

Answer 23

amputation

Question 24

5 most common places to get frostbite

Answer 24

ears, nose, chin, fingers, toes

Question 25

Frostbite treatment

Answer 25

rewarm in 104-110 F water bath
ensure no freezing
very painful process (NSAIDs, Narcs may be needed)
tetanus shot
after rewarming, separate digits and splint
possible amputation