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Advanced Trauma Life Support ATLS Student Course Manual 2018

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Appendix B<br />

HYPOTHERMIA AND HEAT INJURIES<br />

OBJECTIVES<br />

1. Identify the problems encountered with injuries<br />

due to exposure.<br />

2. Explain the mechanism and risks posed by<br />

hypothermia and heat injury in injured patients.<br />

4. Define the two levels of heat injury.<br />

5. Describe treatment approaches for hypothermia<br />

and heat injury.<br />

3. Define the three levels of hypothermia.<br />

The body strives to maintain a constant temperature<br />

between 36.4°C (97.5°F) and 37.5°C (99.5°F).<br />

Exposure to extreme temperatures can override<br />

normal thermoregulation, raising or lowering the core<br />

body temperature. Significant alterations in core body<br />

temperature result in life-threatening systemic effects.<br />

Environmental exposure may be the only injury, or<br />

the exposure can complicate other traumatic injuries.<br />

Cold Injury:<br />

Systemic Hypothermia<br />

Hypothermia is defined as a core body temperature<br />

below 35°C (95°F). In the absence of concomitant<br />

traumatic injury, hypothermia may be classified as<br />

mild (35°C to 32°C, or 95°F to 89.6°F), moderate (32°C to<br />

30°C, or 89.6°F to 86°F), or severe (below 30°C, or 86°F).<br />

Hypothermia in the presence of traumatic injury can<br />

be particularly troubling. It occurs in 10% of injured<br />

patients and as many as one-third of severely injured<br />

patients (Injury Severity Score > or equal to 16).The<br />

synergy of hypothermia and injury can lead to increased<br />

organ failure and mortality. Therefore in the presence<br />

of injury, different thresholds for classification are<br />

recommended: mild hypothermia is 36° C (96.8° F),<br />

moderate hypothermia is

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