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Overview :
A variety of
conditions may predispose a patient to frostbite injury. Some of these risk
factors are associated with a decreased awareness of the cold exposure. Others
are associated with greater tissue damage from a given degree of exposure.
Risk factors for
frostbite injury:
(1)
malnourishment
(2) debilitated
(poor state of health)
(3) not being
acclimatized
(4) racial
predisposition (blacks)
(5) constrictive
clothing or other interference with blood supply to an extremity
(6) previous
cold injury to the exposed body part
(7) peripheral
vascular disease
(8) Raynaud's
disease
(9)
cryoglobulinemia or cold agglutinin disease
(10) heavy
tobacco use
(11) hypoxemia,
including high altitude exposure
(12) peripheral
neuropathy, especially diabetic
(13) alcoholism
and/or drug use
(14)
unconsciousness (head injury, other)
(15) exposed
skin (insufficient clothing)
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