Hypothermia

Question 1

What is Hypothermia?

Answer 1

Decreased core body temperature below normal limits

Question 2

What is mild, moderate, and severe hypothermia?

Answer 2

• Mild: 32-35 degrees
• Moderate: 28-32 degrees
• Severe: <28 degrees

Question 3

Clinical features of mild hypothermia?

Answer 3

• Fatigue
• Impaired judgement
• Tachypnoea
• Ataxia
• Tachycardia
• Shivering
• Cold induced diuresis
• Hypovolaemia
• Vasoconstriction

Question 4

Clinical features of moderate hypothermia?

Answer 4

• Cardiac arrhythmias
• Respiratory depression
• Loss of shivering
• Pupil dilation
• Altered LOC
• Reduced gag reflex
• Hypotension
• Hyporeflexia

Question 5

Clinical features of severe hypothermia?

Answer 5

• Coma
• Apnoea
• Oliguria
• Fixed dilated non-reactive pupils
• Pulmonary oedema
• Ventricular arrhythmias or asystole

Question 6

Initial treatment for hypothermia?

Answer 6

• Remove pt from cold environment
• Remove wet clothing and dry pt (if applicable)
• Warm pt - wrap in dry blanket and space blanket
• Assess pt for cold injury

Question 7

Treating cold injuries in hypothermia?

Answer 7

• Do not rub frozen tissue, don’t break blisters, don’t rewarm area if chance of refreezing, don’t use radiant heat to rewarm affected part
• Superficial frostbite: rewarm with pts own body heat
• Deep frostbite: Place injured part in warm water and circulate water if possible. If unable to warm, elevate affected part
• Non-freezing cold injury (trench foot, immersion foot): Dry foot well, don’t let pt walk, lay pt down and elevate foot