FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Wes Stubblefield, M.D., (256) 340-2113
Staying warm, keeping well informed and taking extra precautions is extremely important during times of extremely cold weather, such as the coming days when below freezing temperatures are predicted. Everyone should remember to lower risks of cold-weather health problems by dressing in multiple layers to help retain body heat, limit time outdoors, and remove wet clothing immediately.
When exposed to cold, our bodies begin to lose heat faster than it can be produced. This results in abnormally low body temperature called hypothermia. Hypothermia occurs when the body’s core temperature falls below 95 degrees F, just a few degrees less than the normal body temperature.
The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) cautions that hypothermia makes people unable to think clearly or move well. This makes hypothermia especially dangerous, because a person may not know when it is occurring and then will not be able to do anything about it.
According to preliminary data from the ADPH Center for Health Statistics, there were 12 deaths in Alabama residents due to hypothermia in 2022. The total deaths for other recent years are as follows: 2021, 10; 2020, 8; 2019, 9; and 2018, 13.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), victims of hypothermia are often:
As the body ages, the ability to maintain a constant internal temperature decreases. Hypothermia risk is even greater when an older person has a chronic condition that affects the circulatory or neurologic systems, or the thyroid. When the core temperature falls, bodily functions shut down.
Knowing what to do in cold weather can help prevent hypothermia. To provide protection, older adults’ living quarters should be heated to at least 65 degrees F, they should wear suitable clothing, have plenty of warm blankets available, and eat nutritionally balanced food.
In addition to advanced age, common risk factors for hypothermia are substance abuse and mental impairment. Certain commonly used drugs such as tranquilizers may contribute to the onset of hypothermia. Furthermore, many deaths from hypothermia are complicated by alcohol consumption, which can lead to dehydration and impaired judgment.
The CDC lists the following signs and symptoms of hypothermia:
Adults:
Babies:
Hypothermia is a medical emergency, and immediate medical attention is needed if a person’s temperature falls below 95 degrees F, the CDC advises.
If you are unable to get medical help right away, try to warm the person up.
A person with severe hypothermia may be unconscious and may not seem to have a pulse or to be breathing. In this case, handle the person gently, and get emergency assistance immediately. Perform CPR, even if the person appears dead. CPR should continue until the person responds or medical aid becomes available. Keep warming the person while performing CPR. In some cases, hypothermia victims who appear to be dead can be successfully resuscitated.
The CDC website has hypothermia prevention information available at cdc.gov/disasters/winter/staysafe/hypothermia
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12/20/22
County health departments throughout Alabama provide a wide range of confidential and professional services. Contact your local county health department for additional information.
Mission: To promote, protect, and improve Alabama’s health
Vision: Healthy People. Healthy Communities. Healthy Alabama.