Diagnostics | Hypothermia

Diagnostics

Hypothermia is mainly diagnosed by the rectally measured body core temperature. This requires special thermometers that can also record low temperatures. A measurement under the tongue is also possible, but the measured values are 0.3 – 0.5°C below the rectal temperature.

The frequently used temperature measurement in the ear is not possible in hypothermic persons, because the blood supply to the ears is greatly reduced and therefore no measurement results can be obtained. In addition, the vital parameters – blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation – and the general condition are used for diagnosis. An ECG is always written to rule out cold-related cardiac arrhythmia and ECG changes. In addition, blood diagnostics is important to determine the oxygen content of the blood, the sugar content and some other parameters.

Therapy

The focus of the therapy for hypothermia is the reheating of the body; three approaches are used to achieve this. With all forms of reheating, care must be taken not to perform it too quickly, as this can lead to serious side effects such as cardiac arrhythmia or circulatory arrest. In addition to rewarming, resuscitation may be necessary.

The basic rule is: Nobody is dead as long as they are not warm and dead!

• Passive reheating: In this process, the supercooled unit is wrapped in heat radiation reflecting films or blankets and warms itself with its self-produced heat, which can no longer be radiated. With this form, a temperature increase of 0.1 – 3.0°C can be achieved in one hour.
• The active external reheating: Special warming blankets and radiant heaters are used for reheating.

  In this way an increase in body temperature of 1.0 to 4.0°C can be achieved.

• The active core – rewarming: The aim of this form of therapy is to warm up the body from the inside out by administering warmed infusions. In cases of severe hypothermia, dialysis can be performed; in this case, blood is warmed up outside the body and returned to the bloodstream. This can increase the body temperature by up to 10°C within an hour.