the skin is massaged to improve skin blood flow. The sheets are frequently rewetted
with icy water.
f) Concurrently the head is constantly irrigated with more ice water, and a fan is
directed at the patient.
g)
The patient is not routinely immersed in the ice water in case CPR is necessary.
However if the rectal T is not reduced suffiently, the patient is immersed directly into
the ice water. With the above procedure, rectal T usually decreases to 39.5C within
15-0 minutes
.
Heat Wave:
Three or more days of air temperatures greater than or equal to 90F (32.2C).
The National Association of Medical Examiners definition from heat-related deaths includes
exposure to high ambient temperature either causing the death or as substantially contributing to
it, cases where the body temperature at time of collapse was greater than or equal to 105F
(40.6C) and a history of exposure to high ambient temperature and the reasonable exclusion of
other causes of Hyperthermia. Because death rates from other causes increase during heat
waves, deaths classified as caused by Hyperthermia represent only a portion of heat-related
death.
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