Dressing appropriately for cold weather conditions and staying dry and out of the wind are essential to prevent effects from cold temperatures. Alcohol and overexertion should be avoided in very cold weather.
Healthcare workers should cover cold patients with warming blankets, which may also be used during and after surgical procedures. Homes with older people and/or young children should set the indoor thermostat to an appropriate temperature during the day and night.
Active prewarming of patients for at least 30 minutes before general anesthesia is recommended to prevent hypothermia and reduce shivering.[32]Horn EP, Bein B, Böhm R, et al. The effect of short time periods of pre-operative warming in the prevention of peri-operative hypothermia. Anaesthesia. 2012 Jun;67(6):612-7.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22376088?tool=bestpractice.com
[33]National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Hypothermia: prevention and management in adults having surgery. Dec 2016 [internet publication].
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg65
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Can active body surface warming systems help to prevent complications caused by inadvertent perioperative hypothermia in adults?/cca.html?targetUrl=https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cca/doi/10.1002/cca.2131/fullShow me the answer
Public health strategies aimed at mitigating the health impact of cold weather on homeless people is critical.[16]Zhang P, Wiens K, Wang R, et al. Cold weather conditions and risk of hypothermia among people experiencing homelessness: implications for prevention strategies. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Sep 5;16(18):3259.
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/18/3259
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31491874?tool=bestpractice.com
CDC: preventing hypothermia
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