Hipotermia: conceptos claves

Objective: Develop an updated review of the literature for the approach, diagnosis, and management of hypothermia in the emergency department.
Methodology: A review of the literature in English and Spanish was carried out in the Pub-Med and Elsevier databases from August 2021 to January 2022, using keywords and DeCS terms such as hypothermia and medical emergencies and rewarming.
Results: According to the information found, the diagnosis of accidental hypothermia should be made quickly to make an adequate classification that allows an appropriate approach to the patient in the prehospital and hospital environment, likewise this should be individualized and guided by goals of revival.
Conclusions: Hypothermia is defined as a body temperature < 36 °C. Many predisposing factors have been described, such as the use of anesthetics, premedication drugs, low ambient temperature, and abdominal surgery are factors that can contribute to its development. Accidental hypothermia has been described as a predictor of worse clinical outcomes, in addition to higher mortality, higher blood product transfusion requirements, and prolonged hospital stay. To manage this condition, heating and ventilation systems can be used to ensure a stable temperature and adequate humidity that provide thermal comfort to the patient; This approach is highly effective.