Emergency docs treating cold-weather injuries

"We've been seeing a number of injuries, the most concerning are hypothermia related," said Dr. Stephen Morris, a UW Medicine specialist in Harborview Medical Center's Emergency Department. A half-dozen people have been admitted for hypothermia, including one who died. 

Morris discusses the "passive warming" and "active warming" approaches that practitioners take in responding to these cases. Warm blankets, fluids and heat packs have a role, as well as intravenously running warm fluids through people. 

He offers tips for cold-weather sensibility, cautioning people to "be aware of when you're starting to get cold (because) by the time you're shivering, you've already gotten too cold."