What is hypothermia?

Hypothermia is a drop in body temperature below 35 degrees Celsius. It occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it. This can be caused by insufficient protection from the outside environment or as a result of an injury or disability sustained in a cold environment.

Since we don't walk around carrying a thermometer, it is important to recognize the clinical signs of hypothermia to intervene quickly and avoid serious complications that could arise.

The first signs of hypothermia are reflex shivering, feeling cold, and loss of dexterity. The state of consciousness is normal. This is the time to intervene to prevent further heat loss.

Get the person out of the cold and find shelter. Remove any wet clothing and put on dry clothes if possible. Gradually warm the person up by offering warm drinks and by wrapping them in blankets. Once the person is warm, encourage them to be active to increase their internal heat.

As the body cools, the victim loses its ability to shiver and warm up which causes their state of consciousness to gradually deteriorate. The includes: slowed thinking, difficulty speaking and a lack of coordination. At this point, the temperature is below 32 degrees Celsius and the victim is in great danger of losing consciousness and going into cardiac arrest. Once the temperature drops to 28 degrees Celsius, the victim will be unconscious and their vital signs will be weak and difficult to discern. Their heart may stop at the slightest jolt or sudden movement.

Once the victim is unconscious, it is too late, and even dangerous, to attempt to activate them. The victim should be protected from further heat loss by placing them in a multi-layer thermal blanket (Burrito) and evacuating them to the nearest hospital. Active external rewarming with hot water bottles or a heated blanket may be attempted, but the lower the temperature, the less effective it will be. Only in-hospital rewarming can get the victim out of danger.