THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, January 18, 1997 TAG: 9701180370
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAT DOOLEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 100 lines
Button up your overcoat. Put on your mittens. And while you're at it, pull on the woolen hat.
Unseasonably cold temperatures are forecast through the weekend in Hampton Roads, raising the risk for hypothermia and frostbite, especially among young children and the elderly, local health professionals warned Friday.
They suggested taking some precautions and looking out for the area's more vulnerable residents until temperatures return to normal.
Mike Rusnak, National Weather Service meteorologist, said Hampton Roads residents might have to tough out the cold until Tuesday, when temperatures are forecast to reach the 40s.
Today should be sunny with a high of about 30 degrees and a wind chill that will make it feel like 10 to 15, Rusnak said. More of the same, plus cloudy skies, is forecast for Sunday. Lows tonight and Sunday are expected to be in the teens, he said.
While the cold spell is on, consider looking in on an elderly friend or relative, said John N. Skirven, executive director for SEVAMP, Hampton Roads agency on aging.
More than 23,000 senior citizens in Hampton Roads live alone, he said.
``Make sure they have heat, adequate food,'' he said. ``Offer to go to the store for them.
``They need to have somebody who knows if they don't answer the phone, there might be a problem.''
Cold spells such as these create two major problems, health officials said: hypothermia and frostbite.
Hypothermia is a potentially deadly drop in core body temperature, usually caused by staying in a cool or cold place for an extended time, said Dr. Francis L. Counselman, chairman of the department of emergency medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk.
Shivering often is the first symptom, followed by numbness, confusion, fatigue, slurred speech, shallow breathing, weak pulse, stiffness in arms or legs, or blue or puffy skin, said Dr. Jan Semenza, of the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta.
The elderly are at greater risk because of medical conditions, such as impaired thyroid, the effects of some medications, a lack of constriction in the blood vessels leading to heat loss, and decreased metabolism, which means the body produces less heat.
An elderly person may not be aware of the danger, Semenza said, because the body's ability to shiver - a natural warming mechanism - is lost with age.
While we often associate hypothermia with being outdoors, an elderly person exposed to cool indoor temperatures for several days can be at risk, according to information from the National Institute on Aging.
Children, too, are more likely to suffer hypothermia because they have large surface areas of skin through which to lose heat, but little body mass to retain it.
Studies show men are at greater risk than women, Semenza said, though it is not known why.
About 750 people in the United States die from hypothermia each year, Semenza said.
Chances for recovery are highest when body temperature does not fall below 90 degrees.
The best way to diagnose hypothermia is to take a person's temperature.
A thermometer reading of 95 degrees or lower indicates the need to see a doctor, Semenza said.
Because many home thermometers are used to check fever, they may not measure temperatures under 96 degrees, he noted.
Treatment involves rewarming the body.
At home, move the person indoors, wrap him in a blanket and keep him dry. Wet clothing, skin or hair can accelerate hypothermia, Counselman said, because water conducts heat better than does air.
Doctors raise body temperature from the inside out, through warm intravenous fluids or cardiopulmonary bypass, which oxygenates and warms the blood, he said.
Local emergency rooms treat six or seven people a year for severe hypothermia, Counselman said.
Drinking alcoholic beverages increases the risk for hypothermia by inhibiting shivering, he said. Also at risk are drug abusers and people with disabilities, who might not be aware of deteriorating body function.
Older people also should avoid going outdoors on cold nights, he said.
People of all ages should avoid working outdoors when temperatures drop to freezing or below.
When outdoors, dress in layers, which trap heat and insulate the body. Be sure to protect the hands, ears, nose and feet. Avoid tight-fitting clothing and shoes.
``A very simple thing to do is to put a hat on,'' Counselman said. About 30 percent of body heat is lost through the head.
Frostbite, the freezing of exposed areas of skin, is less common in Hampton Roads, Counselman said. Symptoms include red, painful skin and blistering.
Rubbing the skin can further damage it. Instead, bathe skin in warm, not hot, water of about 102 degrees, he said. MEMO: For more information on local cold-weather services for the
elderly, call the Southeastern Virginia Area Model Program (SEVAMP) at
461-9481. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic by Janet Shaughnessy/The Virginian-Pilot
Hypothermia
Facts
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