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Management of hypothermia

Authoring team

Principles include:

  • early recognition
  • concentrate on restoring normothermia
  • cold heart irritable; move patient gently, avoid unnecessary manipulation or procedures
  • severely hypothermic heart may be unresponsive to drugs, pacing or defibrillation

Keep going: "They're not dead until they're warm in bed"

  • minimise further heat loss
  • remove wet garments
  • use blankets
  • use warm rescuer to lie next to victim
  • warm humidified oxygen
  • transport cautiously and gently

Reference

  1. Dow J, Giesbrecht GG, Danzl DF, et al. Wilderness Medical Society clinical practice guidelines for the out-of-hospital evaluation and treatment of accidental hypothermia: 2019 update. Wilderness Environ Med. 2019 Dec;30(4 Suppl):S47-69.

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