Jacksonville doctors see rise in number of patients treated for hypothermia

Frigid overnight temperatures create health risk

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Frigid overnight temperatures in recent weeks have created a health risk for Northeast Florida residents who are not accustomed to winter weather normally felt up North and in the Midwest.   

The colder temperatures have sent some people to the emergency room. At UF Health, doctors said they have treated patients for hypothermia, a potentially deadly condition in which the body's core temperature drops below 95 degrees.

Doctors told News4Jax that they have seen both mild and serious cases.

During recent daylight hours, winter temperatures have been warm enough to stay outside for long periods of time without having to wear too many extra layers of clothing. But at night, Northeast Florida has experienced temperatures well below the freezing mark. People who were not properly covered from head to toe while exposed to the frigid air have showed up at the UF Health emergency room. 

Dr. Amanda Crichlow, who works in the emergency room, said those patients were suffering from hypothermia. 

“Most frequently, they do happen to ... our homeless patients who don’t have access to consistent shelter," Crichlow said. "Also, our elderly patients who lack the ability to thermoregulate as they get older.”

According to doctors, people who abuse pain killers are also susceptible to hypothermia because narcotics can make a person feel like everything is normal, and even hide the symptoms of hypothermia when, in reality, their body is on the verge of shutting down. 

The average core temperature for humans is 98.6 degrees. Hypothermia sets in when the body's temperature falls below 95 degrees. 

"You start to shiver and things like that, different appendages start to feel cold. Then you start to get confused and have neurological changes," Crichlow said. "The more severe it gets, you start to have cardiovascular issues."

And that’s when hypothermia can lead to death. Fortunately, there have been no reports of recent hypothermia fatalities. 

“Some of the cases have been very severe," Crichlow said. "Most of the case are pretty minor where we’re able to do various corrective measures to warm them up and they’re able to stay and be observed in the hospital for a while and then be discharged home.”

If you plan on being in the cold for extended periods of time this winter, make sure to wear extra layers and keep a hat on your head. The goal is to not only be comfortable, but also maintain a healthy body temperature. 


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