The condition is also common after surgery because operating rooms are generally kept cool and anesthesia impairs the ability to regulate body temperature. Trauma patients may experience hypothermia because injury can damage the thermoregulation system. Many trauma patients are undressed for medical evaluation and rapidly lose body heat. In addition, intravenous fluids are often not warmed and may contribute to hypothermia when the circulating cold fluids lower body temperature. Risk for hypothermia increases with age.
Several factors increase the chance for hypothermia in the elderly.
Older people have a decreased ability to control body heat. Medications and health problems can also interfere with body temperature regulation. Treating Hypothermia Hypothermia is treated by warming the body and bringing the internal temperature back to a normal range. Covering the patient with a blanket or insulating material to prevent further heat loss may help patients with mild degrees of hypothermia by giving time for the body to generate its own heat. A warm water bath, heating pad, and warming blanket are also some methods of rewarming the body.