Article
The Heart In Accidental Hypothermia –Electrocardiographic, Clinic And Morphopatologic Particularities
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Published: | February 8, 2007 |
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Introduction: Accidental hypothermia is still a difficult pathology in emergency department in geographic areas with cold weather.
Methods and results: We proposed to study electrocardiographic abnormalities correlated with clinical and histological ones. The clinical model consisted of 9 patients (2 women, 7 men) with age between 32-65 years hospitalized in Intensive Care Unit and Cardiology Department during 2003-2005 with rectal temperature between 25-320C (77-89,6 F). 6 patients were alcoholics, 2 with psychiatric therapy, 2 had a severe respiratory pathology. 4 patients had third degree atrio-ventricular block and 4 patients severe sinusal bradycardia. In 5 patients we found QT interval prolonged and Osborn wave. 8 patients (88,88%) died. Autoptic and histological exams showed global cardiomegaly in 4 patients, hemorrhagic subendocardic lesions in 5 patients and microscopic infarctions in 2 patients.
Conclusions: Electrocardiographic abnormalities (conduction disturbances, Osborn wave) seem to have a greater specificity than morphologic alterations that are non-specific, connected to the particular clinical status in accidental hypothermia.
Key words: accidental hypothermia, Osborn wave, heart