hypothermia
Meaning: A dangerously low body temperature, typically below 35°C, caused by prolonged exposure to cold. A potentially fatal condition that requires urgent medical treatment.
Hypothermia occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it. It progresses through mild (shivering, confusion), moderate (shivering stops, drowsiness), and severe (unconsciousness, cardiac arrest) stages. In the UK, it is a particular risk for elderly people in poorly heated homes, rough sleepers, and outdoor workers or hillwalkers in winter. Treatment involves gradual rewarming. Paradoxically, therapeutic hypothermia is sometimes deliberately induced after cardiac arrest to protect the brain. It collocates with 'accidental,' 'severe,' 'therapeutic,' and 'exposure.'
Examples
- The mountain rescue team treated the hillwalker for hypothermia after he was found sheltering in a bothy with a core temperature of 33°C. 山地救援队在一间简易小屋中发现了这名体温降至33°C的徒步者,对其进行了低体温症的治疗。El equipo de rescate de montaña trató al excursionista por hipotermia tras encontrarlo refugiado en una cabaña con una temperatura corporal central de 33 °C.山岳救助隊は、山小屋で避難しているところを発見された核心温度33°Cのハイカーに低体温症の治療を施した。산악구조대는 심부 체온 33°C로 산장에서 대피 중 발견된 등산객에게 저체온증 치료를 실시했다.
- Age UK campaigns highlight the risk of hypothermia among elderly people who cannot afford to heat their homes adequately. 英国老龄慈善机构的宣传活动强调了无力支付足够供暖费用的老年人面临的低体温风险。Las campañas de Age UK ponen de relieve el riesgo de hipotermia entre las personas mayores que no pueden permitirse calentar adecuadamente sus hogares.Age UKのキャンペーンは、自宅を十分に暖めることができない高齢者の低体温症リスクに注目を集めている。Age UK 캠페인은 집을 충분히 난방할 여유가 없는 고령자의 저체온증 위험을 강조하고 있다.
- Therapeutic hypothermia was initiated immediately after the cardiac arrest to minimise neurological damage. 心脏骤停后立即启动了治疗性低体温,以最大限度地减少神经损伤。Se inició la hipotermia terapéutica inmediatamente después de la parada cardíaca para minimizar el daño neurológico.心停止直後に神経学的損傷を最小限にするため治療的低体温が開始された。신경학적 손상을 최소화하기 위해 심정지 직후 치료적 저체온법이 개시되었다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: academic, general
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From Greek hypo- (under, below) and thermē (heat). Entered medical English in the late 19th century.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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