Hypothermia

From Openwaterpedia

noun - Hypothermia is an abnormally low body temperature, often caused by prolonged exposure to cold water during open water swimming competitions or swims, especially when combined with chilly winds, pronounced fatigue for open water swimmers with a low body fat percentage.

Levels

Hypothermia is medically defined when the core body temperature drops below 35ºC (95ºF). Mild hypothermia may be identified by increased shivering or vasoconstriction. Severe hypothermia includes altered cognition, unusual behavior, weakness, apathy, reduced cardiac output, and even coma.

Usage

The swimmer was pulled from the water when it become obvious that she was suffering from hypothermia.

Origin

1885–90; HYPO- + THERM- + -IA where hypo- + Greek thermē, heat; see gwher- in Indo-European roots + -ia.

Antonym

hyperthermia

Hypothermia after Ederle Swim

Michael Miller of Honolulu, Hawaii is shown experiencing afterdrop and hypothermia after the 2010 Ederle Swim in New York:

Mount Ojos del Salado Swim

The Highest Swim


Madswimmers doing high-altitude swimming at 5909m (19,386 feet) in a frozen lake on Mt Tres Cruces, a volcano in the Andes Mountains along the Argentina - Chile border in South America with the water temperature between 0.5 - 2ºC (32.9ºF - 35.6ºC). Jean Craven, Herman van der Westhuizen and Chris Marthinusen completed the 5-minute neoprened wild swim while Evan Feldman and Milton Brest swam in wetsuits and Robert Graaff and Juandre Human were unable to partake in the final swim due to medical restraints after a 6-hour hike up the volcano and a laborious creating of the small area to swim through the 20 cm thick ice covering.

External links

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