Alcohol increases the risk of cold injury
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Alcohol increases the risk of cold injury
Drinking alcohol may increase the risk of injury from cold exposure. Alcohol:
- Changes your body's ability to regulate body temperature.
- Changes your judgment. For example, a person may not put on additional clothing when it is needed if his or her judgment is changed by alcohol.
- Can cause blood vessels in the skin to get bigger (dilate). This increases heat loss.
- Reduces your sense of cold because it depresses the nervous system.
Credits
| Author | Jan Nissl, RN, BS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine |
| Last Updated | July 5, 2007 |
| Last updated: | July 05, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS |
| Reviewed By: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer |
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