Advanced Medical Life Support (AMLS)

In a near-drowning scenario, what is the likely diagnosis for a patient with core body temperature of 93.2F and signs of shivering and nausea?

1. Mild hypothermia

2. Acute pulmonary edema

3. Severe hypothermia

4. Deep frostbite

The correct answer is: Mild hypothermia

In this scenario, the patient's core body temperature of 93.2°F indicates that they are experiencing mild hypothermia. The normal human body temperature is approximately 98.6°F, and a body temperature that falls below 95°F is classified as hypothermia. At 93.2°F, the patient exhibits typical symptoms associated with mild hypothermia, including shivering, which is the body's involuntary response to generate heat, and nausea, which can also be a sign of the body's stress response to cold exposure. Mild hypothermia is distinguished from more severe hypothermic conditions, where core body temperatures would be considerably lower, and symptoms would include more serious complications like confusion, lethargy, or even loss of consciousness. The presence of mild symptoms such as shivering and nausea at this temperature reinforces the diagnosis of mild hypothermia. The other potential diagnoses, such as acute pulmonary edema, severe hypothermia, and deep frostbite, do not correlate well with the specific temperature reading or the symptomatic presentation. Acute pulmonary edema would typically present with respiratory distress rather than these particular symptoms in isolation, and it would not be dictated by a specific core temperature. Severe hypothermia would manifest with a significantly lower body