If available, ice packs may be placed in the axilla, groin, and neck where large blood vessels pass close to the surface. An IV should be established and an LR fluid bolus initiated for any patient who is dehydrated. Cold Related Emergencies Hypothermia is classically defined as a core body temperature less than 95 F. Over 700 people die each year from hypothermia. It can happen in both cold and temperate climates. Like hyperthermia, it affects the elderly and very young at a disproportionately high rate.
Small children are especially at risk because of their high body surface to body mass ratio.
The heat transfer mechanisms described above apply equally well in cold environments as they do in hot environments. In response to decreased temperature, the body attempts to maintain core temperature and reduce heat loss by constricting peripheral vasculature. Increased metabolic rate and shivering are additional mechanisms used by the body to raise it's core temperature. Sepsis and other metabolic derangements may alter the body's temperature set point. Drugs and alcohol are involved in the majority of hypothermic episodes in the United States.