PowerPoint: Accidental Hypothermia and Hypothermia and the EMS Provider
Click here for the full PowerPoint on this topic. The goals of these presentation slides are to:
1) Review the physiology and pathophysiology of accidental
hypothermia.
2) Attempt to make sense of the literature regarding the EMS
care of various severities of hypothermia.
3) Temper the textbook answers with what I feel is a real life
approach to these patients in EMS.
4) Emphasize BLS care issues- a bit of ALS stuff at the end.
5) Avoid putting you to sleep.
6) Non-goals: drowning; submersion/acute hypothermia;
avalanche victims; or metabolic/endocrine/sepsis/drug
induced hypothermia.
A few definitions/key points:
• Hypothermia defined as core temp <35˚C (95˚F).
• “Mild” hypothermia >34˚C (≈93F).
• “Moderate” hypothermia 30-34˚C (≈86-93F).
• “Severe” hypothermia <30˚C (86˚F)
