Clinical Scenario

This protocol applies to mild accidental hypothermia — a measured core body temperature between 32 °C and 35 °C — in a patient who is conscious (alert) and actively shivering. The patient's preserved mental status and intact shivering reflex define this stage of presentation.

Treatment Approach (Partial Overview)

Management at this temperature range involves passive and active external rewarming as the foundation of care. The full protocol defines the specific combination of rewarming modalities indicated at this stage — including a role for oral intake — and how the patient's own physiology can be used to accelerate recovery. The complete sequence is available in the structured regimen below.

Clinical goal: Restoration of normothermia — a core temperature returning to approximately 37 °C.

References

Hypothermia I (mild)
Conscious, shivering
35–32 °C
In mild hypothermia (HT I), patients should be rewarmed using passive and active external rewarming and with minimally invasive internal rewarming using warm fluids orally (Figure 4).
Shivering and active movement will further speed rewarming.
Passive rewarming by removing the patient from the cold environment, optimising insulation, offering food and warm drinks, and promoting active movements, is usually sufficient.
In patients with spontaneous circulation, and a core temperature of 33–36 °C the goal of rewarming should be normothermia with a core temperature about 37 °C.

DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19010501

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Treatment of Mild Accidental Hypothermia When Core Temperature is 32–35 °C and the Patient is Conscious and Shivering

References