Hypothermia is a condition wherein the body loses heat faster than it is produced. Mostly, exposure to cold-weather conditions or cold water can cause hypothermia. Any factor that can impair the body’s thermoregulation can lead to hypothermia. From the UPSC Syllabus perspective, Hypothermia topic comes under the GS-1 and GS 3 of the prelims section and Mains respectively.
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What are the causes of Hypothermia?
Hypothermia is defined as a body core temperature below 35.0 °C (95.0 °F).
The two major causes of Hypothermia are as follows:
- It classically occurs from extreme exposure to cold.
- It may also occur from any condition that decreases heat production or increases heat loss.
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The condition of Hypothermia can be caused by various factors few of which are mentioned below in the table:
| Wearing clothes that are not warm enough for the weather conditions. | Staying out or being exposed to cold for too long. |
| Staying in wet clothes or not moving to a warm, dry location. | When a person accidentally falls in the cold water. |
| Inadequate heating in the home, especially for elderly people and infants. | In the case of older people and infants, this can occur if the Air Conditioning is too cold. |
What are the symptoms of Hypothermia?
The symptoms for hypothermia may vary depending upon the temperature the person is exposed to. There are three stages of Hypothermia- Mild, Moderate, and High/Severe hypothermia. Read about these in the table below:
| Stage (temp in Fahrenheit) | Symptoms |
| Mild (90-95 °F) | Shivering and Mental Confusion; Nausea; Heavy/Fast Breathing; Increased heart rate and fatigue |
| Moderate (82-90℉) | Less shivering or reduced shivering; Higher mental confusion- lack of coordination; Confusion |
| Severe (<82℉) | No shivering; Paradoxical Undressing [Person starts to remove the clothes which keep them warm]; low heart rate; Progressive loss of consciousness |
What is the treatment for Hypothermia?
- Hypothermia is a potentially life-threatening condition that needs emergency medical attention.
- If the hypothermic person is unconscious or has no pulse or signs of breathing, CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) should be given.
- CPR needs to be continued, in the absence of signs of breathing or a pulse, until paramedics arrive or the person is taken to a hospital.
- In cases of advanced hypothermia, hospital treatment is required to rewarm the core temperature.
- Hypothermia treatment may include warmed IV fluids, heated and humidified oxygen, peritoneal lavage (internal “washing” of the abdominal cavity), and other measures.
- Complications during recovery can include pneumonia, heart arrhythmias, ventricular fibrillation (a dangerous “fluttering” rhythm of the heart), cardiac arrest (a sudden stopping of the heartbeat), and death.
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