pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Hypothermia - PubMed

Review

Hypothermia

Elisabeth E Turk. Forensic Sci Med Pathol. 2010 Jun.

Abstract

Hypothermia refers to a situation where there is a drop in body core temperature below 35 degrees C. It is a potentially fatal condition. In forensic medicine and pathology, cases of hypothermia often pose a special challenge to experts because of their complex nature, and the often absent or nonspecific nature of morphological findings. The scene of the incident may raise suspicions of a crime initially, due to phenomena such as terminal burrowing behavior and paradoxical undressing. An element of hypothermia often contributes to the cause of death in drug- and alcohol-related fatalities, in the homeless, in immersion deaths, in accidents and in cases of abuse or neglect, making the condition extremely relevant to forensic medical specialists. The aim of this review is to give an overview of the pathophysiological aspects of hypothermia and to illustrate different aspects relevant to forensic medical casework.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. J Gerontol. 1950 Jul;5(3):227-35 - PubMed
    1. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1991 May;70(5):1996-2002 - PubMed
    1. Comput Biol Med. 2005 May;35(4):287-98 - PubMed
    1. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1996 Apr;80(4):1249-57 - PubMed
    1. J Physiol Anthropol Appl Human Sci. 2005 Jul;24(4):439-43 - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

LinkOut - more resources