Hypothermia in the Elderly

Abstract

A large number of factors which can increase the risk of hypothermia in the elderly are described, and a number of relatively simple measures are suggested which could reduce the risk of hypothermia and other cold-related deaths. However, there is the danger that insufficient and/or intermittent heating is more dangerous than no heating in the house. Identification of hypothermia in the elderly demands a high index of suspicion and proper measurement of the person's temperature. The initial first aid is by insulation but the complex fluid shifts commonly found in the subchronic hypothermia of the elderly, means that the only safe place to manage the rewarming period is in an intensive care facility. There is disagreement as to the number of deaths from hypothermia among the elderly but most of this stems from differing definitions. However, it is certainly true that in winter there is an increase in deaths from a number of causes and it is correct to say that these deaths are cold related but they are not all due to hypothermia, nor are they restricted to the elderly.