Case challenge · Emergency / Environmental injury / Critical care · teaching

Accidental Hypothermia — Management Pathway · case challenge

Given a case, work through the care pathway step by step; the tool checks each choice and scores you. Decisions and basis are taken from this site's reviewed care pathways.

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Case #1Emergency / Environmental injury / Critical care

📋 Case data

Core temperature gradeModerate 28–32°C

Data is taken from this pathway's reviewed node text. Work through the pathway step by step.

Step 1 / 1 · Core temperature grade

Core temperature grade?

💡 Accidental hypothermia = core temp <35°C. Grades: mild 32–35°C (shivering, thermoregulation preserved), moderate 28–32°C (impaired consciousness, shivering may cease), severe <28°C (coma, vital signs present), profound <24°C. ECG: bradycardia, Osborn/J waves (~32°C, raise VF risk), prolonged intervals. Handle gently to prevent VF; monitor, find and correct hypoglycemia, beware coagulopathy (labs may read falsely normal once blood is warmed); find coexisting causes (alcohol, hypoglycemia, sedatives, sepsis, hypothyroidism).

For teaching. Decisions and their basis are taken from this site's reviewed care pathways; for licensed clinicians/trainees, this does not replace clinical judgment or local protocols.