HYPOTHERMIA IN PRE-HOSPITAL CARDIAC ARREST Name: Grade Course: Tutor`s Name: (16th, October, 2011) Hypothermia in Pre-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Introduction The body temperatures are normally under thermoregulatory control, exposure to cold results in generation of signals to the hypothalamus which in turn communicates with the appropriate organs to enhance breakdown of high energy bonds to release heat. On the other hand exposure to high heat sends similar messages to the brain which in turn ensures respective organs respond in ways that will lead to decrease in body temperature to the required levels. Hypothermia results when the body temperature falls far beyond the lowest temperature threshold and the body is unable to restore the temperatures back to their normal. This may occur as a result of impaired thermoregulatory system; this may be caused by a number of diseases or may simply be a problem associated with old age. Some of the diseases well known to alter the thermoregulatory processes include diabetes, cardiac failure, stroke, conditions affecting the central nervous system, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson`s disease, among others. Old people are also susceptible to hypothermia because their thermoregulatory system is weak, they have poor appetite, eat poor diets, have other problems such as digestion and loss of teeth that affect food intake and have decreased lean mass (Parham Et al, 2009...