hypothermia | Alabama Public Health
hypothermia | Alabama Public Health
Staying warm, keeping well informed and taking extra precautions is extremely important during times of extremely cold weather, such as the coming days when below freezing temperatures are predicted. Everyone should remember to lower risks of cold-weather health problems by dressing in multiple layers to help retain body heat, limit time outdoors, and remove wet clothing immediately.
When exposed to cold, our bodies begin to lose heat faster than it can be produced. This results in abnormally low body temperature called hypothermia. Hypothermia occurs when the body’s core temperature falls below 95 degrees F, just a few degrees less than the normal body temperature.
The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) cautions that hypothermia makes people unable to think clearly or move well. This makes hypothermia especially dangerous, because a person may not know when it is occurring and then will not be able to do anything about it.
According to preliminary data from the ADPH Center for Health Statistics, there were 12 deaths in Alabama residents due to hypothermia in 2022. The total deaths for other recent years are as follows: 2021, 10; 2020, 8; 2019, 9; and 2018, 13.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), victims of hypothermia are often:
- Older adults with inadequate food, clothing or heating
- Babies sleeping in cold bedrooms
- People who remain outdoors for long periods—the homeless, hikers, hunters, etc.
- People who drink alcohol or use illicit drugs.
Knowing what to do in cold weather can help prevent hypothermia. To provide protection, older adults’ living quarters should be heated to at least 65 degrees F, they should wear suitable clothing, have plenty of warm blankets available, and eat nutritionally balanced food.
In addition to advanced age, common risk factors for hypothermia are substance abuse and mental impairment. Certain commonly used drugs such as tranquilizers may contribute to the onset of hypothermia. Furthermore, many deaths from hypothermia are complicated by alcohol consumption, which can lead to dehydration and impaired judgment.
The CDC lists the following signs and symptoms of hypothermia:
Adults:
- Shivering
- Exhaustion or feeling very tired
- Confusion
- Fumbling hands
- Memory loss
- Slurred speech
- Drowsiness
- Bright red, cold skin
- Very low energy
If you are unable to get medical help right away, try to warm the person up.
- Get the person into a warm room or shelter.
- Remove any wet clothing the person is wearing.
- Warm the center of the person’s body—chest, neck, head, and groin—using an electric blanket, if available. You can also use skin-to-skin contact under loose, dry layers of blankets, clothing, towels, or sheets.
- Warm drinks can help increase body temperature, but do not give alcoholic drinks. Do not try to give beverages to an unconscious person.
- After body temperature has increased, keep the person dry and wrap their body, including their head and neck, in a warm blanket.
- Get the person proper medical attention as soon as possible.
The CDC website has hypothermia prevention information available at cdc.gov/disasters/winter/staysafe/hypothermia
Original source can be found here.