FROSTBITE

Course overview

FROSTBITE, ALSO KNOWN AS FREEZING COLD INJURY IS TISSUE DAMAGE THAT OCCURS DUE TO COLD EXPOSURE, OCCURRING AT TEMPERATURES BELOW ZERO DEGREES CELSIUS. HOMELESS POPULATIONS, CHILDREN, AND THE ELDERLY ARE ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE TO FROSTBITE. PROLONGED DURATION AND LOWER TEMPERATURES INCREASE THE RISK OF FROSTBITE AND THE EXTENT OF THE INJURY. CERTAIN PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS, INCLUDING PERIPHERAL VASCULAR DISEASE, MALNUTRITION, RAYNAUD'S DISEASE, DIABETES MELLITUS, AND TOBACCO USE MAY WORSEN FROSTBITE-RELATED TISSUE DAMAGE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF FROSTBITE AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.