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Clinical features

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

The clinical feature of hypothermia include:

  • grey complexion, with pallor and cyanosis
  • skin is cold to touch, both where exposed and where usually warm, for example the abdomen and axilla
  • puffy face and hoarse voice
  • confusion, drowsiness and stupor, with poor judgement
  • increased muscle tone, with rigidity at 32øC
  • shivering, until below 30øC
  • weakness
  • hypokinesia
  • ataxia, occasionally tremor
  • tachycardia, followed by bradycardia at lower temperatures
  • characteristic changes on the ECG e.g. J-waves, prolonged QT and T wave inversion may be found
  • hypertension, with hypotension at lower temperatures
  • hyperventilation, followed by shallow respiration, with hypoventilation causing hypoxia at lower temperatures

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