Thursday, November 10, 2011

Hypothermia - The Cold Facts

Hypothermia. If you ever go to cold countries, must surely have heard of hypothermia. If you do not, you should learn something. His life can say the following:

Hypothermia is a condition characterized by an abnormally low internal body temperature. Occurs when the body heat faster than can replace the loss. Normal muscle and brain function is impaired, and after death, when it was worse. This is done below 96 ° C and below.

Hypothermia.
Signs of hypothermia, confusion, drowsiness, slurred speech or shallow breathing, weak pulse or low blood pressure, stiffness in the arms or legs or arms control via body movements. Severe hypothermia can cause an irregular heartbeat leading to heart failure and death.

Symptoms of hypothermia

Chills are usually the first symptom of hypothermia. It is ultimately uncontrollable. He stops, but with severe hypothermia, shivering. One of the key indicators that the victim of a mild hypothermia / moderate to severe hypothermia in motion, he / she is shaking.


Hypothermia.
Changes in behavior, such as complaints, speech and uncoordinated movements. The victim has difficulty performing simple tasks like walking a straight line or the zipper of his jacket. In severe hypothermia, the changes in erratic behavior of apathetic, unresponsive. Unusual behavior, like inappropriate excitement or lethargy, poor judgments and poor decisions are common.

Cold, pale blue-gray by the narrowing of the arteries. You can comatose, with dilated pupils making it difficult to determine whether the victim was alive or dead.

Wasted heat in the body

Convection: Heat is removed from the body by a flow of air or water. Windchill is an example of convection.

Management: the transfer of heat between two surfaces in contact. Water conducts heat 25 times faster than air and steel, faster than water. In general, the heat loss by conduction only take 2% of total losses. However, with wet clothes the loss is five times higher.

The heat of evaporation as the water leaves the body through sweat and respiration.

Radiation: The loss of radiant heat from a warm body in a cold environment that surrounds it. This is particularly important in the cold, clear night. Important factors in the loss of radiant heat to the surface and the temperature gradient.

It is important to recognize the close connection between fluid levels, fluid loss and heat loss. When the body loses moisture through the processes of evaporation of the total amount of water circulating in the body is reduced, leading to dehydration. This decrease in fluid level makes the body more susceptible to hypothermia.

The treatment of hypothermia in the field

The fundamental principles of the victims of hypothermia reheating to avoid the heat, the alternative fuel they burn the body to produce heat for the replacement.

Reduce heat loss. To keep the wind and cold. This may be a tree in a bag or tent to sleep. If possible, move the victim to the ground (a foam pad would be ideal). Remove wet clothing and replace it with the physical layers of dry clothing, increased activity.

Add fuel and fluids. Keep a person suffering from hypothermia adequately hydrated and nourished. Give them hot liquids, sweet coffee, tea or not - and alcohol are not!

Alcohol - a vase dilator - increases peripheral heat loss

Caffeine - a diuretic - causes water loss increasing dehydration of

Snuff / nicotine - a vase constrictor, increases the risk of frost
Enter the heat source. A fireplace or stove.

Consult a doctor immediately. Never leave a hypothermia victim alone.

Prevention of hypothermia

Dress accordingly. Wear clothing to keep warm. Avoid cotton!

Note that the water of the two external (environmental) and internal (sweat) - not wet. Stay out of the wind, if possible.

Keep your body to burn. Stay hydrated and eat foods such as carbohydrates and proteins into energy.

Conserve your energy. Exhaustion leads to a rapid onset of hypothermia.

Overview

It is important to be warm and dry during the winter. So dress, a big difference. Use different parts separately, warm. Wool socks on a cold winter and a hat to fight. At night, use blankets because hypothermia can develop during sleep. Thermal underwear are excellent for keeping the heat inside your body.

Enough rest. Fatigue makes you more vulnerable to heat and cold below normal. Eating nutritious foods and moderate exercise. Limit alcohol intake, because the heat loss rates of alcohol. Hypothermia.

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