The recent weather has been fluctuating, and there have been cases of hypothermia in Hong Kong. What is hypothermia actually? What are its dangers?

Hypothermia is a situation that the core body temperature is below 35℃, and the body is unable to produce enough heat to keep warm, or the speed of heat dissipation is faster than that of heat production, making body temperature fall.

The homeless are vulnerable

Hypothermia usually comes with suddenly cold weather, and is usually seen in elderly who lives alone and who is homeless. As their subcutaneous fat is less, their mechanism of body temperature adjustment fades. As some of these elderly cannot walk properly, their body cannot adjust to the low temperatures in cold weather. And the body of the homeless is unable to produce enough heat in cold weather.

Unconsciousness leads to death

Hypothermia is regarded as a cold-blooded killer, which kills people silently. This is because patients with Hypothermia have no particular symptoms, and they can only feel coldness on their skin and in their hands and feet, and their face would look pale. If patients are unconscious, cannot speak clearly, cannot walk properly and shiver uncontrollably, they should be taken care of. If their body temperature continues to fall, they would stop shivering, but their muscle would turn hard, their hearts would slow down and they would become unconscious. In severe circumstances, patients would have low blood pressure, irregular heartbeats and unconsciousness. Their heart may stop and the patients may die.

Keeping warm works best

Hence, if you have Hypothermia, you should consult your doctor or go to hospital immediately. Even Hypothermia is not common in Hong Kong, the elderly must adopt effective measures to keep warm to ensure stable and normal body temperature. People who live next to elderly who live alone should care for them, and remind them of the importance of keeping warm.