Heat and cold Emergency

Environmental Heat Emergencies

• If a patient's body temperature exceeds 105.8 F, immediate cold water immersion is necessary.

• If a patient is experiencing altered mental status (AMS) and their body temperature is above 102.2 F, they should be handled gently and undergoing rapid cooling.

• If a patient's body temperature exceeds 102.2 F and they start experiencing shivering, they should be removed from cold water immersion.

• In the case of exertional heat stroke, bizarre behavior, seizure, and recent exertion are indicators for immediate cold water immersion.

• Cold water immersion should be discontinued in a patient with a body temperature exceeding 102.2 F when they reach a temperature of 102.2 F or below.

• If a patient's body temperature is above 105.8 F, antipyretics should be avoided.

• If a patient develops shivering, passive cooling should be utilized.

• Factors that would indicate a need for cold water immersion in a patient with a body temperature above 105.8 F include altered mental status, bizarre behavior, and seizure.

• A potential complication of severe heat emergencies is kidney dysfunction, in addition to liver dysfunction.

• Shivering typically diminishes during heat emergencies at a temperature of around 104°F.

• When the body temperature falls below 30°C (88°F), a common cause of death is ventricular fibrillation.

• During re-warming of a patient with severe hypothermia, they should be re-warmed slowly to prevent a subsequent decrease in body temperature.

• If a patient's body temperature cannot be measured during an environmental heat emergency, healthcare providers should consider using alternative methods to estimate body temperature.

• Patients with altered mental status (AMS) and body temperatures above 102.2°F should be handled gently to prevent further injury.

• If a patient's body temperature is 103.5 F and showing altered mental status (AMS), they should undergo rapid cooling.

• If a patient's body temperature exceeds 102.2 F and they start experiencing shivering, they should be removed from cold water immersion.

• In the management of environmental heat emergencies, active cooling measures with ice packs and increased airflow should be initiated when a patient's body temperature exceeds 104°F.

• In the context of exertional heat stroke, recent exertion and bizarre behavior should alert healthcare providers to suspect this condition.

• A potential risk associated with severe heat emergencies is cardiac dysfunction, besides liver dysfunction.

• If a patient's body temperature is 104.5 F and they show signs of improvement such as increased urination and improved skin conditions, active cooling measures should be discontinued.

• If a patient's body temperature is unable to be measured during an environmental heat emergency, healthcare providers should consider using alternative methods to estimate body temperature.

• If a patient with altered mental status (AMS) has a body temperature less than 30°C (88°F), they should be re-warmed slowly to prevent a subsequent decrease in body temperature.

• When treating hypothermia, vasopressors should be avoided unless profound hypotension is unresponsive to fluids.

• Shivering may stop during heat emergencies at a temperature of around 104°F.

• If a patient's body temperature is 103.8 F with altered mental status (AMS), they should undergo rapid cooling.

• If a patient's body temperature is 105.5 F and there are no signs of improvement, but they are not shivering, active cooling measures should be continued.

• Passive cooling should be utilized when a patient develops shivering during environmental heat emergencies.

• A potential consequence of using antipyretics in the context of environmental heat emergencies is masking the severity of the condition.

• If a patient's body temperature reaches 104.2 F and they exhibit improved heart rate and decreased thirst, active cooling measures should be discontinued.

• If a patient's body temperature is 99.5 F, and they are experiencing shivering despite showing improved skin conditions, they should be removed from cold water immersion.

Learn about the steps to manage heat emergencies, including assessing core body temperature, providing oxygen, moving to a cool environment, and implementing active cooling measures based on the patient's condition. Understand when to conduct blood glucose level assessments and when to consider cold water immersion for body temperatures exceeding 105.8 F.