References

Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee (JRCALC) clinical guidelines. 2022;

Bridgwater: Class Professional Publishing. Resuscitation Council (UK): Special circumstances Guidelines. 2022. https//www.resus.org.uk/library/2021-resuscitation-guidelines/special-circumstances-guidelines (accessed 25 June 2023)

Lott C, Truhlá A, Alfonzo A European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021: Cardiac arrest in special circumstances. Resuscitation. 2021; 161:152-219 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resuscitation.2021.02.011

Foggle JL. Accidental hypothermia: ‘You're not dead until you're warm and dead’. RI Med J.. 2019; 102:(1)28-32

RCEM Learning: Cardiac arrest in special circumstances: hypothermic cardiac arrest. 2018. https//www.rcemlearning.co.uk/reference/cardiac-arrest-in-special-circumstances-hypothermic-cardiac-arrest/#1568299302640-2e315b45-a32e (accessed 25 June 2023)

Paal P, Gordon L, Strapazzon G Accidental hypothermia–an update. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med. 2016; 24 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-016-0303-7

Tipton M. Cold water immersion: sudden death and prolonged survival. Lancet. 2003; 362:S12-S13 https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(03)15057-x

Bierens Joost J. L. M., Lunetta P, Tipton M, Warner DS. Physiology Of drowning: a review. Physiology (Bethesda). 2016; 31:(2)147-166 https://doi.org/10.1152/physiol.00002.2015

Tipton M, McCormack E, Elliot G, Cisternelli M, Allen A, Turner A. Survival time and search time in water: past, present and future. J Therm Biol.. 2022; 110 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2022.103349

Tipton MJ, Golden FSC. A proposed decision-making guide for the search, rescue and resuscitation of submersion (head under) victims based on expert opinion. Resuscitation. 2011; 82:(7)819-824 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resuscitation.2011.02.021

Hypothermia-related resuscitation efforts

02 July 2023
Features
02 July 2023
Volume 15 · Issue 7

Cardiac arrest due to hypothermia is considered a special circumstance (Deakin et al, 2021; Lott et al, 2021). This is on account of hypothermia being neuroprotective in some situations, which may result in improved prognosis following cardiac arrest (Tipton, 2003; Paal et al, 2016; Harris and Jones, 2018; Foggle, 2019; Lott et al, 2021; Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE), 2022). Hence, guidelines recommend prolonged resuscitation attempts for these patients (Deakin et al, 2021; Lott et al, 2021; AACE, 2022). This has led to the teaching mantra ‘you're not dead until you're warm and dead’ (Paal et al, 2016; Foggle, 2019). However, this is only applicable to patients in whom brain cooling has occurred (e.g. hypothermia as primary cause) prior to cardiac arrest (Deakin et al, 2021; Lott et al, 2021; AACE, 2022). It is not applicable to those who have suffered a cardiac arrest and then cooled as a result.

Subscribe to get full access to the Journal of Paramedic Practice

Thank you for visiting the Journal of Paramedic Practice and reading our archive of expert clinical content. If you would like to read more from the only journal dedicated to those working in emergency care, you can start your subscription today for just £48.

What's included

  • CPD Focus

  • Develop your career

  • Stay informed

Register
Or continue by

Signing in with your registered email address