It’s December. This time of year brings Christmas, New Year’s, bowl games, and a lot of parties. It also brings cold weather, and cold weather can kill. The Alabama Department of Public Health released a statement on Wednesday warning that hypothermia can lead to death.
ADPH warned that the milder climate of Alabama in winter may mask the need to be aware of weather conditions. Hypothermia is a medical emergency that can lead to death. Hypothermia occurs when the body’s core temperature falls below 95 degrees F, just a few degrees less than the normal body temperature. When exposed to cold, human bodies begin to lose heat faster than it can be produced.
According to provisional data for 2022 from ADPH’s Center for Health Statistics, there were 18 deaths in Alabama from hypothermia in 2022. That is an increase from the 10 deaths in 2021.
To prevent hypothermia, stay warm, keep well informed and take extra precautions during times of extremely cold weather. Everyone should remember to lower the risks of cold-weather health problems by dressing in multiple layers to help retain body heat, limit time outdoors, and remove wet clothing immediately.
This all makes sense to someone reading this in a house with the furnace on and the thermostat maintaining a minimum temperature of 68 degrees. Still, 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 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 unhoused, hikers, hunters and others
· And People who drink alcohol or use illicit drugs.
As the body ages, the ability to maintain a constant internal temperature decreases. Hypothermia risk is even greater when an older person has a chronic condition that affects the circulatory or neurologic systems, or the thyroid. When the core temperature falls, bodily functions shut down.
Living quarters for older adults 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.
Many deaths from hypothermia are complicated by alcohol consumption, which can lead to dehydration and impaired judgment.
According to the CDC the symptoms of hypothermia include:
· Shivering
· Exhaustion or feeling very tired
· Confusion
· Fumbling hands
· Memory loss
· Slurred speech
· Drowsiness
In babies the symptoms are:
· Bright red, cold skin
· Very low energy
Immediate medical attention is needed if a person’s temperature falls below 95 degrees F.
If 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.
A person with severe hypothermia may be unconscious and may not seem to have a pulse or to be breathing. If this happens, handle the person gently, and get emergency assistance immediately. Perform CPR, even if the person appears dead. CPR should continue until the person responds or medical aid becomes available. Keep warming the person while performing CPR. In some cases, hypothermia victims who appear to have died can be successfully resuscitated.
On extremely cold nights check on elderly relatives and neighbors, make sure that the children are inside and not outside playing, and bring the pets inside.
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