Active external rewarming is generally safe only for mild hypothermia, because externally applied heat stimulates the peripheral circulation. The dangers associated with this have been explained, also comparative clinical studies have indicated that active external rewarming has a higher mortality rate than active internal rewarming. Handle the patient very gently to avoid cardiac arrest. Do not expose the patient's skin to cold air, wind or spray, especially the down-wash created by helicopter rotor blades. This treatment will prevent further respiratory heat loss which is significant in hypothermia and will help to stabilize heart, lung and brain temperatures.
Hypothermic skin is very sensitive to heat and is easily burned.
Hot drinks are not effective in warming a severely hypothermic victim. They may be useful, however, in raising the morale of mildly hypothermic victims. Do not use Ringer's lactate because the hypothermic liver may not be able to metabolize the lactate normally. Transport to a medical facility as soon as possible. Hypothermia fatalities are significantly greater in immersion hypothermia, but the evidence is often indirect and fatalities are often recorded as drowning.