So, how long does it take to die from hypothermia? People who are not properly dressed and have exposed skin in the air can develop hypothermia in as little as five minutes in temperatures as low as -50°F/-45.5°C. Hypothermia can develop in around 10 minutes at a temperature of -30°F/-34.4°C. In extremely cold temperatures, death can occur in less than an hour. Keep reading.

What Are the Symptoms of Hypothermia?

Symptoms of mild hypothermia (body temperature of 90° to 95°F/32° to 35°C) include:

• Shivering
• Goosebumps
• Bluish skin
• Confusion
• Trouble speaking clearly
• Memory problems
• Altered judgment
• Breathing faster than usual (hyperventilation)
• Loss of balance or coordination/clumsiness
• Apathy
• Fast heart rate
• Urinating more than usual

Symptoms of moderate hypothermia (body temperature of 82° to 90°F/28° to 32°C) include:

• Shivering stops
• Feeling very tired
• Seeing things that are not there (hallucinations)
• Shallow breathing
• Decreased reflexes
• Paradoxical undressing (undressing despite the need for clothing to keep warm)
• Stupor
• Increased risk for abnormal heartbeats (arrhythmias)
• Dilated pupils

Symptoms of severe hypothermia (body temperature less than 82°F/28°C) include:

• Stiffness
• Low blood pressure
• Muscle rigidity
• Passing out
• Coma
• Unresponsiveness
• Breathing stops
• Heart stops

Symptoms of hypothermia in babies may also include:

• Bright red, cold skin
• Very low energy

What is the Typical Medical Treatment for Hypothermia After a Fall into Cold Water

When they fall into cold water, maritime workers are susceptible to hypothermia. Rapid treatment is necessary for hypothermia, a potentially fatal condition. A New York maritime attorney can provide you with more information about your legal options if you or a loved one has experienced the effects of hypothermia.

Knowing what to do as soon as hypothermia is suspected is also crucial. It is crucial to call for help right away if a maritime worker has fallen overboard into chilly water. Before assistance arrives, treatment can—and frequently should—start. For instance, the hypothermic person should be moved to a warm, dry location, given warm blankets, and, if possible, given a warm beverage.

Blood warming, warm IV fluids, and other warming techniques might be used to treat the worker once they are under the care of qualified medical personnel.

Core Temperature Drop

The average body temperature of an individual is 37 degrees Celsius, or 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. When the core body temperature falls to 95 F (35 C) or less, hypothermia sets in. Surprisingly, people can become hypothermic in air temperatures between 30 and 50 F (minus 1 to 10 C), which is relatively cool but not freezing. This is especially true if they are wet from sources like rain, sweat, or submersion in cold water. According to Michael Sawka, director of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Thermal & Mountain Medicine Division, the body loses heat about 25 times more quickly in water than in air. According to an interview with Live Science conducted in 2010, the Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM) said.

But hypothermia in these comparatively chilly conditions is unusual.

Temperatures that are subzero, however, are “a whole different animal,” said Emergency medicine specialist Dr. Robert Glatter works at New York City’s Lenox Hill Hospital.

An otherwise healthy person who isn’t adequately dressed for the cold could develop hypothermia in as little as 10 minutes at minus 30 F (minus 34 C), according to Glatter. Hypothermia can develop in just 5 to 7 minutes at minus 40 to minus 50 F (minus 40 to minus 45 C), he said.

According to the Mayo Clinic, a drop in body temperature impairs the functionality of vital organs, such as the heart and brain.

Inadequate heart function reduces blood flow to many organs, putting the body in a state of shock and raising the risk of diseases like liver failure and kidney failure, according to Glatter, a cardiologist who spoke to Live Science. He explained that because they typically have weaker heart muscles, the very young and the very old are more susceptible to hypothermia. Additionally, older people are more likely to take drugs like beta blockers, which can slow heart rate and increase the risk of hypothermia in the cold.

When the core body temperature reaches about 95 F, mild hypothermia symptoms such as shivering, weakness, and confusion start to appear. After that, “as you start dropping [in core body temperature], bad things happen,” Sawka said.

• Amnesia is a symptom that can occur at 91 F (33 C).
• You can pass out at 82 F (28 C).
• According to Sawka, profound hypothermia is defined as being below 70 F (21 C), at which point death is possible.

According to John Castellani of the USARIEM, who also spoke with Live Science in 2010, the lowest body temperature at which an adult has been known to survive is 56.7 F (13.7 C), and that happened after the person was submerged in icy, cold water for a considerable amount of time.

According to the Mayo Clinic, untreated hypothermia can cause the heart to stop beating entirely and ultimately result in death.

Summary: How Long Does It Take to Die from Hypothermia?

The length of time it takes for hypothermia to kill a person depends on a number of variables, such as whether they were exposed to the cold in the water or the air, how cold it was, their age and general health, and the exposure to the cold. Hypothermia can happen quickly—within minutes to hours—or gradually—over days to weeks, depending on the circumstances.