Which condition is defined as an internal body temperature less than 95ºF (35ºC)?

Which condition is defined as an internal body temperature less than 95ºF (35ºC)?

• A. Cold stroke
• B. Hypothermia
• C. Frost bite
• D. Exposure

Answer: (B)

Hypothermia is the condition defined by a core body temperature dropping below 95°F (35°C). When the core cools to this level, the body's metabolic processes slow, shivering may occur early and then decline, and mental status, coordination, and cardiovascular stability deteriorate. This threshold is what clinicians use to diagnose and guide warming and monitoring efforts in the field. Frostbite, by contrast, is tissue freezing injury to skin and deeper tissues, not a whole-body temperature issue. Exposure describes being in a cold environment and is a risk factor for hypothermia rather than the diagnosis itself. Cold stroke isn’t a standard term for this condition.

Hypothermia is the condition defined by a core body temperature dropping below 95°F (35°C). When the core cools to this level, the body's metabolic processes slow, shivering may occur early and then decline, and mental status, coordination, and cardiovascular stability deteriorate. This threshold is what clinicians use to diagnose and guide warming and monitoring efforts in the field. Frostbite, by contrast, is tissue freezing injury to skin and deeper tissues, not a whole-body temperature issue. Exposure describes being in a cold environment and is a risk factor for hypothermia rather than the diagnosis itself. Cold stroke isn’t a standard term for this condition.