Hypothermia Facts
What is hypothermia?
A life-threatening condition in which the body's inner temperature drops more than 2 degrees from its normal baseline.
You can give a hypothermia patient warm water to sip
True
Frostbite definition
freezing of tissues.
This tool may not read accurately on a cold patient.
SP02 Monitor
You should rub the affected area to warm it up.
Negative, the tiny ice crystals in the tissues may cause more tissue damage.
What are 2 other conditions that hypothermia can be mistaken for.
ETOH, Drug abuse, stroke.
What's the first thing you do when you arrive on location and have a hypothermic patient?
Primary Assessment
The amount of permanent damage depends on
How long the part was frozen, how much the part was used while frozen and how the part was thawed.
Which 2 age groups are most vulnerable to hypothermia?
Children under 12 and seniors.
S & S of superficial Frostbite
White/Waxy looking skin, pain followed potentially by numbness, skin firm to touch.
These are the stages of Frostbite.
Frost nip, Superficial Frostbite and Deep Frostbite.
This is a situation where hypothermia is not caused by the person being in a cold environment.
Burns destroying the skin
You should immerse the patient quickly in warm water.
False. Rapid warming may affect heart rhythms.
This type of weather is most likely to cause frostbite
Windy weather
The two most common factors that contribute to hypothermia
Conduction and Convection
S & S of hypothermia
Slurred Speach, decreased motor skills, shivering, exhaustion, confusion, memory loss, drowsiness.
Fill in the blanks: When a hypothermic patient's body drop continuously, he/she may die of _____ _______.
Heart failure because of the cold affecting the electrical impulses of the heart.
Steps to treat hypothermic patient
Primary assessment, prevent further heat loss, Remove wet or cold clothing, Handle casualty carefully, Can offer a warm drink. Comfort measures until EMS arrives.
Serious deep frostbite can cause this.
Tissue death, turning the skin black and hard.
Radiation, Conduction, Convection, Respiration, Evaporation. Excretion
S & S of Deep Frostbite
Skin is white/waxy, turning greyish blue as the injury progresses. Skin feels hard and cold and there is no feeling in the affected area.
Steps to treat patient with superficial frostbite.
Primary assessment, cover affected area with warm hands or place frostbitten fingers in armpits or between the legs to warm slowly.
Fill in the blanks: When you're immersed in water, your arms and legs cool the fastest, but your long-term survival depends mostly on minimizing heat loss from your _____.
Torso/Vital Organs
A person loses heat this many times faster in water than in air of the same temperature.
25 to 30 times
The two types of incidents where a patient we originally went to for another reason could become hypothermic.
Burns compromising a significant amount of the skin.
Entrapment in a vehicle, etc. where the person is in the water or exposed to the elements.
Steps to treat deep frostbite
Primary Survey, IF MEDICS ON SCENE SOON- do not attempt to warm the part, IF DELAYED SIGNIFICANTLY- rewarm slowly in luke warm water (can take 40-60 mins), gently dry then wrap affected part with sterile dressings, keep elevated and warm.