General measures
- If frostbite and hypothermia (hypothermia) are present simultaneously, treat the hypothermia first! If possible, simultaneous treatment is also permitted. The hypothermia always has priority!
- The patient is to be wrapped in an insulating blanket (aluminum vaporized rescue blanket) Attention! The silver side of the rescue blanket (so seems one side, if you hold the foil against the light) is able to reflect up to 96 percent of the vertically occurring heat radiation and make it available to the human body again.
- In case of unconsciousness, the patient is placed in a stable lateral position; as well as available, the patient receives warmed, slowly incoming infusions with Ringer’s or saline solution
- Slow rewarming in case of frostbite 1st and 2nd degree, i.e. warm in a rising lukewarm water bath (up to approx. 37 °C) until the skin is rosy again; max. 30 min; only if there is no hypothermia Attention! Rubbing with snow is contraindicated (strictly to be avoided).
- Do not open blisters
- First aid measures:
- Warm affected body parts by warm body parts.
- Provide rewarming with blankets and warm clothing
- Give hot drinks (warm, sugared drinks, chocolate), but do not give alcohol to drink
- Already during treatment at the emergency scene early registration at the destination hospital.
Therapy of hypothermia in the clinic is based on the following pillars:
- Intensive care: external warming (or via warm infusions) is possible in circulatory stable patients up to 28 °C.
In intensive care, hypothermia mainly involves artificial ventilation, volume therapy, circulatory stabilization and, above all, rewarming – active or passive, depending on the exact situation.
