Hypothermia-related deaths--Alaska, October 1998-April 1999, and trends in the United States, 1979-1996.

Hypothermia is defined as an unintentional lowering of the core body temperature to < or = 95 F (< or = 35 C) (1). It is a medical emergency with a high fatality rate (2). In the United States, hypothermia-related deaths can occur anywhere, including in states with milder climates (e.g., Georgia and North Carolina) where weather systems can cause rapid changes in temperature. However, the highest hypothermia-related death rates in the United States occur in northern states, where winter is characterized by moderate to severe cold temperatures (e.g., Alaska and Montana), and western states, where profound declines in nighttime temperatures may occur at high elevations (e.g., New Mexico). From October 1998 through April 1999, 16 deaths attributed to hypothermia (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision [ICD-9], codes E901.0, E901.8, and E901.9; excludes man-made cold [E901.1]) were reported to the Alaska State Medical Examiner. This report describes selected cases of hypothermia-related deaths in Alaska during October 1998-April 1999; compares age-, sex-, and race-specific rates in Alaska and the rest of the United States during 1979-1996; and summarizes trends for hypothermia-related deaths in the United States during 1979-1996.