Hypothermia in Pre-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

HYPOTHERMIA IN PRE-HOSPITAL CARDIAC ARREST
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(16th, October, 2011)
Hypothermia in Pre-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
Introduction
The body temperatures are normally under thermoregulatory control, exposure to cold results in generation of signals to the hypothalamus which in turn communicates with the appropriate organs to enhance breakdown of high energy bonds to release heat. On the other hand exposure to high heat sends similar messages to the brain which in turn ensures respective organs respond in ways that will lead to decrease in body temperature to the required levels. Hypothermia results when the body temperature falls far beyond the lowest temperature threshold and the body is unable to restore the temperatures back to their normal. This may occur as a result of impaired thermoregulatory system; this may be caused by a number of diseases or may simply be a problem associated with old age. Some of the diseases well known to alter the thermoregulatory processes include diabetes, cardiac failure, stroke, conditions affecting the central nervous system, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson`s disease, among others. Old people are also susceptible to hypothermia because their thermoregulatory system is weak, they have poor appetite, eat poor diets, have other problems such as digestion and loss of teeth that affect food intake and have decreased lean mass (Parham Et al, 2009). This paper will focus on the pathophysiology of hypothermia and how hypothermia can be treated in cardiac arrest out of hospital.
Pathophysiology of Hypothermia
Once the body receptors-especially those located on the skin and subcutaneous layer- responsible for regulation of body temperature are notified that the temperature is low than the normal or standard body temperature, they lead to vasoconstriction in the surrounding organs. This response prompts the hypothalamus to signal the release of two hormones, the thyroid stimulating hormone and adrenocorticotropic hormone which in turn stimulate the thyrotrophin and adrenal glands respectively; the release of these hormones and shivering are some of the ways that the body uses to restore the body temperatures (BMJ. 2011). Unfortunately, prolonged hypothermia may lead to various complications that may be a result of the vasoconstriction or the drop in temperature; the complications advances with drop in temperatures though are not consistent in all patients. Some of the conditions are namely; acidosis, slowed heart rate and inversions, depressed respiratory rate which may result in edema of the alveoli and bronchi-at this point the body is almost incapacitated from generating any heat, Kidney functions are impaired-decreased re-absorption and glo...