Hypothermia and Infection in Elderly Patients Admitted to Hospital

Abstract

Twenty-five consecutive elderly patients with hypothermia were studied. Data were gathered regarding their home conditions, the circumstances in which they had been found, and their recent medical history. Clinical and laboratory examinations were performed to establish accurate diagnoses of underlying illnesses present at the time of arrival in hospital. Patients were followed up until the completion of the study. Evidence of an underlying cause was found in all cases. Twenty-two patients had evidence of definite or probable infection at the time of admission. Drugs may have contributed in seven cases. There were multiple significant causes for hypothermia in nine cases. Only 12 patients survived the index admission, and six of these had previous or subsequent admissions with hypothermia.

Hypothermic in the Heat: A Case of Hypothermia in a Vulnerable Older Adult in South Florida

“…Older adults are more susceptible to hypothermia because of age‐related impairment in temperature homeostasis [ 4 ]. This impairment is partly due to a loss of elasticity in blood vessels that limits vasoconstriction and dilation, which in turn undermine temperature regulation via the skin.…”