Hypothermia

Hypothermia may present to any department at any time. It may present as a primary or secondary illness and if not detected, and/or managed appropriately, treatment of other concurrent illnesses and patient survival may be severely compromised. This paper will endeavour to assist the nursing and medical staff of Accident and Emergency (A & E) departments to recognise and classify hypothermia. It will discuss the pathophysiology associated with heat loss and heat gain, and the implementation of appropriate management. The survival of the hypothermia patient is greatly dependent on several factors: method of rewarming, severity of hypothermia, duration prior to treatment, degree of hypotension, and severity of underlying disease (this being the most likely determinant of survival).