Abstract
Accidental hypothermia occurs when the body's thermal regulation is unable to maintain normal core temperature in a cold environment. This may happen in otherwise healthy persons exposed to severe cold or acutely impaired by alcohol or other depressant drugs, or in persons with severe underlying disease. The elderly are especially susceptible to accidental hypothermia because of a natural decline in temperature control with age, and because they are likely to be in poorly heated surroundings during cold weather. This report describes an elderly woman who became profoundly hypothermic (core temperature 25°C) at home during the winter, and who recovered following active core rewarming with heated enemas, gastric lavage, and intravenous fluids. Complications included ventricular fibrillation, several other dysrhythmias, acute respiratory failure, transient focal neurological impairment, and bacterial pneumonia. This patient's management and clinical course illustrate important features of accidental hypothermia and its treatment.
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