How to treat hypothermia
If this is an emergency, please call 000 immediately.
What is hypothermia?
If hypothermia is severe, call triple zero (000) for an ambulance.
Hypothermia is a condition which is triggered when the body's warming abilities fail or are overwhelmed. This causes the body temperature to drop below 35°C, under the normal average of 37°C.
This guide is regularly updated and aligns with the current edition of Australian First Aid (4th edition, 7/2011)
Signs and Symptoms
Mild
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- Feeling cold
- Shivering
- Clumsiness and slurred speech
- Apathy and irrational behaviour
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Severe
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- Shivering ceases
- Difficult to find pulse
- Slow heart rate
- Loss of consciousness
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What to do
Follow DRSABCD.
Move the patient to a warm, dry place.
Help the patient to lie down in a comfortable position. Handle the patient as gently as possible, avoiding excess activity and movement.
Remove any wet clothing from the patient.
Place the patient between blankets or in a sleeping bag, and wrap them in an emergency blanket.
Cover the patient’s head to maintain body heat.
Give the patient warm drinks if they are conscious.
- Do not give alcohol.
Place hot water bottles, heat packs and other sources of external heat directly on the patient’s neck, armpits and groin.
Be careful to avoid burns.
Body-to-body contact may be used if other means of rewarming are not available
If hypothermia is severe, call triple zero (000) for an ambulance.
Stay with the patient until medical aid arrives.