DEATH DUE TO HYPOTHERMIA

What is Hypothermia?

Hypothermia is a condition in which an organism's temperature drops below that required for normal metabolism and bodily functions. In warm-blooded animals, core body temperature is maintained near a constant level through biologic homeostasis (the balanced state of the living body i.e. temperature, chemistry, blood pressure, sleep and wakefulness, and so on, despite variations in the environment).  But when the body is exposed to cold its internal mechanisms may be unable to replenish the heat that is being lost to the organism's surroundings.

Core temperature, also called core body temperature, is the operating temperature of an organism, specifically in deep structures of the body such as the liver, in comparison to temperatures of peripheral tissues.

Temperature control (thermo regulation) is part of a homeostatic mechanism designed to keep the organism at optimum operating temperature, as it affects the rate of chemical reactions. In humans this optimum temperature is 36.8 °C (98.2 °F) though it varies regularly as controlled by one's circadian rhythms with the lowest temperature occurring about two hours before one normally wakes up. An organism at optimum temperature is considered afebrile or apyrexic.

 

Hypothermia Death - Ada County 2006

In the winter of 2006, the Ada County Coroner's office was requested to respond to a private residence where a victim was found in the back yard - their body was frozen.  A Deputy/Investigator from this office responded to the scene.

According to a neighbor and friend of the deceased, he had noticed that her garbage can had not been taken in. It had been put out for collection several days earlier, but had not been taken back in to the garage where it was normally kept.  He also found that the mail box was full of mail. Both of these were unusual for the deceased as she took her mail in daily and always took her garbage can back to the house after it had been emptied. He made entry into the garage by use of the overhead garage door opener. He found the entry door to the house was locked from the inside. He found all other doors locked from the inside. When he tried to go out the back garage door to the back yard he found that it was locked from the inside. Both the door lock and the deadbolt lock were in place. When he unlocked the door and opened it he found the deceased laying on the sidewalk just outside the door. He called for the police and paramedics.  When they arrived they found the deceased already dead.

The body was found laying supine on the back walkway behind the house.  Her head was near the back door and her feet were straight out toward the back yard. The arms were stretched out to the sides, bent at the elbows. The legs were straight. There was one slipper near the right foot. A second slipper was about five to six feet to the right of the body against the side of the house. The body was completely dressed in a light weight jogging type pants and top. There were stockings on the feet.

Examination of the body found no lethal injuries or trauma.  The Investigator stated the body was nearly frozen solid. With a great deal of pressure he was able to move the arms at the shoulders only. The eyes were open and also appeared to be frozen. On the hands there were abrasions to the backs of the knuckles and fingers. There were white paint flakes on the left hand. These paint flecks corresponded with chipping paint on the door jamb of the back garage door. A search of the deceased and the grounds found no key that fit the locks on the door.  According to the neighbor, the decedent had been suffering from Dementia for the past few months and probably became disoriented when she went out the back door - locking it behind her and then losing the key.

The body was transported to the Ada County Coroner's Office for Forensic Examination as to cause and manner of death.

After Forensic Autopsy examination, the Forensic Pathologist ruled the death Accidental with cause being Hypothermia due to Exposure.

When somebody freezes to death - death usually occurs from cardiac arrhythmia, because the cold slows down the heart, preventing it from functioning. When our body temperature falls below ninety degrees Fahrenheit, the heart begins to have difficulty functioning; below eighty-three degrees Fahrenheit, almost everybody would have a cardiac arrest or death-inducing arrhythmia's.

 

Who are at Risk?

Persons at excess risk for hypothermia include the elderly, the very young, and the homeless, and risk factors associated with hypothermia are alcohol use, neuroleptic medications, hypothyroidism, cerebrovascular disease, some forms of mental illness, and poverty. The most common cause of hypothermia is chronic, indoor cold stress that affects the immobile, elderly, chronically ill, or poor populations. The elderly are particularly vulnerable because of an impaired shivering mechanism, lower levels of protective fat, lower metabolic rates, limited mobility, chronic illnesses, and lack of perception of cold. Many elderly are also concerned about the cost of heating their residences and may (even though the heat is on - set at 60 degrees) experience hypothermia, because of immobility and sedentary lifestyle.  The onset of hypothermia is often insidious with early manifestations of exposure including shivering, numbness, fatigue, poor coordination, slurred speech, impaired mentation, blueness or puffiness of the skin, and irrationality.

Measures to prevent hypothermia-related deaths include education of the public and health-care providers about heat preservation strategies and provision of outreach programs for identifying and sheltering persons at risk. During cold weather, particular attention should be given to increasing caloric intake, using insulated or layered clothing and headgear, and providing heated shelter with suitable relative humidity. In addition, persons who are active outdoors during cold weather should avoid fatigue, remain dry, prepare to take emergency shelter, carry fire-starting materials (waterproof matches and fire starters), and abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages.

Your Dog is also susceptible for Hypothermia..

Hypothermia and frostbite are two potential problems your dog can suffer from in winter.  Both occur when your dog has been exposed to the cold for too long, and while hypothermia and frostbite are treatable they may leave lasting tissue damage if the symptoms are not spotted and treated promptly. Which dogs are most susceptible...short haired dogs; small dogs; wet dogs; dogs sensitive to cold weather; and dogs that are outside for long periods of time who do not have access to warm and dry shelter. Why - because for one reason or another (be it an environmental, genetic or health reason) these dogs find it more difficult to keep their bodies at their normal temperature than dogs who don't fall into any of these categories.