Hypothermia

Hypothermia: Introduction

Hypothermia: Low body temperature. See free access online books about Hypothermia below. See detailed information below for a list of 125 causes of Hypothermia, including diseases and drug side effect causes.

» Review Causes of Hypothermia: full list

Causes of Hypothermia:

The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Hypothermia. There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms.

• Cold exposure
• Alcohol consumption (see Alcohol use)
• Hypothyroidism
• Certain medications
• Inactivity
• Immobility
• Hypoglycaemia
• Impaired shivering capacity in elderly
• Myxoedema
• Starvation
• Malnutrition
• Hypopituitarism
• Exposure to cold outdoors
• Immersion in cold water
• Vasoconstriction failure
• Dwashiorkor
• Erythrodema
• Paget's disease of bone
• Uremia
• Cerebrovascular injury (see Cerebrovascular symptoms)
• Cerebral trauma
• Diabetic ketoacidosis
• Wernicke's encephalopathy
• Carbon monoxide poisoning (type of Poisoning)
• Anoxic brain injury
• Cardiac arrest
• Organophosphate poisoning
• Spinal cord lesion
• Terminal malignant disease
• Severe hepatic cirrhosis
• more causes...»

See full list of 125 causes of Hypothermia

» Review Causes of Hypothermia: full list

Causes of Types of Hypothermia:

Review the causes of these more specific types of Hypothermia:

• Low temperature
• more types...»

Review causes of types of Hypothermia in more specific categories:

• Hypothermia in children (30 causes)
• more types...»

Review causes of more specific types of Hypothermia:

• Recurrent Hypothermia
• more types...»

See full list of 8 types for Hypothermia

Hypothermia: Symptom Checker

Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Hypothermia, as listed in our database. Visit the Symptom Checker, to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.

Symptom Checker

• Hypothermia: Symptom Checker

Symptom Checker

• Hypothermia and Temperature symptoms (60 causes)
• Hypothermia and Head symptoms (50 causes)
• Hypothermia and Syncope (46 causes)
• Hypothermia and Heart symptoms (42 causes)
• Hypothermia and Heart rhythm symptoms (40 causes)
• Hypothermia and Face symptoms (40 causes)
• Hypothermia and Behavioral symptoms (37 causes)
• Hypothermia and Muscle symptoms (36 causes)
• Hypothermia and Nerve symptoms (36 causes)
• Hypothermia and Low blood pressure (36 causes)
• Hypothermia and Respiratory symptoms (35 causes)
• Hypothermia and Skin symptoms (35 causes)
• Hypothermia and Digestive symptoms (34 causes)
• Hypothermia and Muscle weakness (34 causes)
• Hypothermia and Skin problems (34 causes)
• Hypothermia and Fatigue (33 causes)
• more...»

See full list of 1997 Symptom Checker combinations related to Hypothermia

Causes of General Symptom Types

Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:

• Temperature symptoms (1463 causes)
• more symptoms...»

Causes of Similar Symptoms to Hypothermia

Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Hypothermia:

• Chills (682 causes)
• Fever (1733 causes)
• Temperature symptoms (1463 causes)
• Cold exposure
• Alcohol consumption
• Hypothyroidism (83 causes)
• Certain medications
• Inactivity
• Immobility (26 causes)
• Hypoglycaemia
• Impaired shivering capacity in elderly
• Myxoedema
• Starvation
• more symptoms...»

Diagnostic Guides for Hypothermia

Medical Books Excerpts Read excertps from published book sections related to Hypothermia from the following published medical books for more detailed information about Hypothermia. Free access (no registration): read all online diagnostic book sections about Hypothermia

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic tests for Hypothermia:

Various tests are used in the diagnosis of Hypothermia. Some of these are listed below :

• Physical examination
  • Temperature - (Hypothermia is defined as a fall in the core (i.e. rectal) temperature to below 35 degrees Celsius).
  • Examine for features of hypothermia including reduced pulse rate, shallow breathing, muscle stiffness, reduced reflexes, reduced blood pressure
  • Examine for enlarged thyroid which may suggest hypothyroidism
• more tests...»

See full list of 21 diagnostic tests for Hypothermia

Diagnosis Checklist: Questions your doctor may ask (and why!)

During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in their assessment of Hypothermia. Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information you can share with your doctor about your symptoms may help them with their diagnosis. Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:

• Symptoms of hypothermia? - e.g. mild hypothermia (32-35 degrees Celsius) causes shivering and initially a feeling of intense cold. As the core temperature falls, severe hypothermia (below 32 degrees Celsius) initially causes impairment of judgement (including awareness of cold) and later leads to altered consciousness and coma. Death follows, usually from ventricular fibrillation (fatal heart arrhythmia).
• Have you been exposed to extreme cold weather? - e.g. Hypothermia is a prominent cause of death in climbers, skiers, Artic and Antarctic travelers and in wartime. Wet, cold conditions and wind chill, physical exhaustion and inadequate clothing are common contributory factors.
• Have you been exposed to extreme cold water? - e.g. dangerous hypothermia can develop after several hours immersion at temperatures of 15-20 degrees Celsius. Below 12 degrees Celsius the person's arms and legs become numb and paralysed and take some hours to recover after the person is rescued.
• Age of the person? - e.g. Hypothermia is commonly seen in the elderly, the elderly have a diminished ability to feel cold and often a decrease in the insulating fat layer. Infants and newborns become hypothermic very rapidly at normal room temperature because of their relatively large surface area and lack of subcutaneous fat.
• Past medical history? - e.g. intestinal obstruction, cholera, peritonitis, hypothyroidism, Addison's disease, hypopituitarism, hypoglycemia, diabetes mellitus, anorexia nervosa, congestive cardiac failure, renal failure, stroke, epidural haematoma, subdural haematoma, thiamine deficiency and Menke's disease may be associated with hypothyroidism.
• more questions...»

See Diagnosis Checklist for Hypothermia (11 listings)

Diagnosis Checklist: Associated symptoms your doctor may ask about (and why!)

Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse your condition. The symptoms your doctor may ask about (in association with Hypothermia) may include:

• Severe vomiting or diarrhea? - may induce dehydration and electrolyte disturbances which will induce hypothermia. Disorders that may induce severe vomiting or diarrhea may include intestinal obstruction, cholera and peritonitis.
• Symptoms of hypothyroidism? - e.g. lethargy, weight gain, constipation, puffiness of face and eyes, hair loss, dry skin.
• Symptoms of anorexia nervosa? - e.g. obsessive pursuit of thinness through dieting, extreme weight loss, disturbance of body image, intense fear of becoming fat, loss of menstrual periods.
• more symptoms...»

See Diagnosis Checklist for Hypothermia (11 listings)

Home Diagnostic Testing and Hypothermia

Home medical tests possibly related to Hypothermia:

• Cold & Flu: Home Testing:
  • Home Fever Tests
  • Home Ear Infection Test Kits
  • Home Flu Tests
  • Home Strep A Tests
• more tests...»

Stories from Users for Hypothermia

Real-life user stories relating to Hypothermia:

• Low Body Temperature, Severe Fatigue for 6 mnths! Help
• Cause of low body temp?
• Low Body temp & cannot shiver / High GGT
• Low body temperature
• Low body temperature, achy, fatigue Wilsons Syndrome??
• Hypothermia research
• fatigued and low grade temperature on exertion

Symptom specific forums: The following patient stories in our interactive forums and message boards relate to Hypothermia or relevant symptoms:

• Constitutional (General Wellbeing) (371)
  • Sore Scalp/hair follicles
  • Fat loss in entire body
  • I'm Lost.
  • Dont know how much more I can take..
  • My wife does not sweat I'm worried
  • More user stories
• Neurological (Nerves) (606)
  • Could this be MS?
  • Numbness and tingling all over
  • Eye twitch
  • Tingling/numbness in arms/hands/legs/face/head [more symptoms]
  • So many symptoms but no diagnosis...GGRRR
  • More user stories
• Cardiovascular (Heart and Blood Circulation) (333)
  • Chest pain and shortness of breath
  • Purple-blue skin color
  • Palpitations, inner left arm pain
  • Hand numbness
  • Need help with diagnoses
  • More user stories

Videos for Hypothermia

Patient Surveys for Hypothermia

• Patient Profile Survey
  Take Survey  View Results
• Survey about diseases related to your Hypothermia
  Take Survey  View Results

Causes of Hypothermia listed in Disease Database:

Other medical conditions listed in the Disease Database as possible causes of Hypothermia as a symptom include:

• Anorexia nervosa
• Arginosuccinic aciduria
• Blood transfusion and complications
• Chlorpromazine
• Drug overdose
• Erythroderma
• Ethanol
• Exercise
• General anaesthesia
• Hypothermia of newborn
• Hypothyroidism
• Immobility
• Kwashiorkor
• Levomepromazine
• Menke disease
• more causes...»

See full list of 125 causes of Hypothermia
- (Source - Diseases Database)

Medications or substances causing Hypothermia:

The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible causes of Hypothermia as a symptom. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

• Certain medications - However, drugs usually cause only a mild temperature drop and rarely cause severe hypothermia
• Certain anti-depressants
• Certain tranquilizers
• Phenothiazine tranquilizers
• Tricyclic antidepressant
• Barbiturate
• more causes...»

See full list of 6 medications causing Hypothermia

Drug interactions causing Hypothermia:

When combined, certain drugs, medications, substances or toxins may react causing Hypothermia as a symptom. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

• Ibuprofen and Baclofen interaction
• Amitriptyline and Fluconazole interaction
• Lithium Carbonate and Diazepam interaction
• Lithium and Diazepam interaction
• Carbolith and Diazepam interaction
• Cibalith-S and Diazepam interaction
• Duralith and Diazepam interaction
• more interactions...»

See full list of 27 drug interactions causing Hypothermia

Article Excerpts about Hypothermia

Hypothermia is marked by unusually low body temperatures, below 96° F (35.5° C) - well below the body’s normal temperature of 98.6° F (37° C). What may seem like a mere couple of degrees can have a devastating effect. Severe hypothermia can cause an irregular heartbeat leading to heart failure and death. (Source: excerpt from Accidental Hypothermia - Age Page - Health Information: NIA)

Cold weather can be risky for anyone, but especially for older people. Almost everyone is familiar with winter hazards such as broken bones from falls on ice or breathing difficulties triggered by cold air. But the winter chill can also lead to a temperature drop inside the body that can be deadly if not found quickly and treated properly. This lowered body temperature, usually brought on by staying in a cool place for a long time, is called hypothermia (hi-po-ther-mee-uh). It is a special problem for older people, who often have other illnesses or take medications that can interfere with the body’s ability to regulate its temperature. (Source: excerpt from Accidental Hypothermia - Age Page - Health Information: NIA)

Hypothermia is marked by unusually low body temperatures, below 96° F (35.5° C) - well below the body’s normal temperature of 98.6° F (37° C). What may seem like a mere couple of degrees can have a devastating effect. Severe hypothermia can cause an irregular heartbeat leading to heart failure and death. (Source: excerpt from Accidental Hypothermia - Age Page - Health Information: NIA)

Definitions of Hypothermia:

Lower than normal body temperature, especially in warm-blooded animals; in man usually accidental or unintentional.
- (Source - Diseases Database)

Subnormal body temperature
- (Source - WordNet 2.1)

Abnormally low body temperature.
- (Source - CRISP)

Organs affected by Hypothermia:

The list of organs typically affected by Hypothermia may include, but is not limited to:

• General constitution

Detailed list of causes of Hypothermia

The list below shows some of the causes of Hypothermia mentioned in various sources:

• Ackee Fruit Food poisoning - hypothermia
• Acute meningitis - Hypothermia
• Acute Pesticide poisoning - xylene - hypothermia
• Alcohol consumption
• Alcohol poisoning - hypothermia
• Amitriptyline toxicity - hypothermia
• Amoxapine toxicity - hypothermia
• more causes...»

See full list of 125 causes of Hypothermia

How Common are these Causes of Hypothermia?

This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases, not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Hypothermia. Of the 125 causes of Hypothermia that we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:

• 0 causes are "very common" diseases
• 2 causes are "common" diseases
• 2 causes are "uncommon" diseases
• 0 causes are "rare" diseases
• 0 causes are "very rare" diseases
• 122 causes have no prevalence information.

See the analysis of the prevalence of 125 causes of Hypothermia

Conditions listing symptoms: Hypothermia:

The following list of conditions have 'Hypothermia' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

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Causes of Hypothermia Based on Risk Factors

This information shows analysis of the list of causes of Hypothermia based on whether certain risk factors apply to the patient: