Contents:
- Medical Video: Emergency Hypothermia-Mayo Clinic
- What is hypothermia?
- How can hypothermia occur?
- What conditions allow us to experience hypothermia?
Medical Video: Emergency Hypothermia-Mayo Clinic
Have you ever watched the Titanic movie? If so, do you remember a scene in the character of the man played by Leonardo Di Caprio who died after being cold in the cold-temperature sea? In the real event of the sinking, many of the victims died of cold. This is because they have to swim in the sea where the temperature reaches minus 2 degrees Celsius, this condition is called hypothermia. How does hypothermia occur?
Hypothermia also attacks many Himalayan mountaineers. This is usually caused by exposure to cold temperatures that last long in the body. Then, do we who live in tropical countries potentially have hypothermia? How can this hypothermia occur? Check out this article.
What is hypothermia?
Hypothermia is a medical emergency in which the body is unable to restore the temperature of the body heat because the temperature drops too fast. This condition makes your body temperature reach very low temperatures below 35 ° C. When your body temperature drops too low, your heart, nervous system, and other organs cannot work optimally. If not immediately helped, hypothermia can cause total failure in the function of the heart and respiratory system and ultimately lead to death.
The cause of hypothermia is weather or very cold water. But too long in any environment or room that is cooler than your body temperature is also the cause. Especially if you are not wearing clothes that can warm the body, or when you cannot adjust the temperature in the room.
How can hypothermia occur?
Our temperature or body temperature is controlled in the part of the brain called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is responsible for recognizing changes in body temperature and responding appropriately. The body produces heat from metabolic processes in cells that support the body's vital functions.
If the environment or room conditions get colder, the body will automatically need heat. The hypothalamus will recognize this temperature change. Usually the body will respond with shivering movements, this is a response to the body's protection to produce hot temperatures through muscle activity.
Normally heart and liver activity produces heat for the body. As long as the body is in an environment or cold room. This organ will decrease in producing heat for the body. This causes protection to keep body heat and brain temperature reduced or even stopped. Low body temperature can slow brain activity, breathing, and heart rate. This causes hypothermia to be categorized as a dangerous medical condition if not treated immediately.
What conditions allow us to experience hypothermia?
If you don't have a plan for Himalaya mountain, that doesn't mean you can't experience hypothermia. Hypothermia does not only affect people who live in a country that has 4 seasons. But there is a possibility that we can also experience this. The following conditions can cause hypothermia.
- Wearing clothes that can not warm the body, especially in cold weather conditions.
- Too long outside the house even though the weather is very cold or heavy rain.
- In conditions of cold or wetness do not immediately move to a warm place or change clothes.
- The temperature in the room is not warm enough, especially for parents and children.
- The air conditioner is set too cold.
