Hypothermia Diagnosis and Treatment Could Save Lives

If the body is exposed to cold and the thermoregulation mechanism is unable to preserve the heat, a drop in the core body temperature will occur. As the body temperature drops, characteristic symptoms will occur such as shivering and mental confusion (Figure 5). Hypothermia can be mild, moderate, severe or profound. Heat is produced by the muscles, by the heart, as well as the liver and the body loses heat through the skin. The body heat increases 2-4 times more with contraction of the muscles from exercises of by shivering. Accurate core body temperature can be measured by a special low body temperature thermometer, which may not be available.