32°S 70°W / 32°S 70°W / -32; -70
72-815: Aconcagua ( Spanish pronunciation: [akoŋˈkaɣwa] ) is a mountain in the Principal Cordillera of the Andes mountain range , in Mendoza Province , Argentina . It is the highest mountain in the Americas , the highest outside Asia , and the highest in both the Western Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere with a summit elevation of 6,961 metres (22,838 ft). Despite its impressive size and stature, it
144-423: A dysrhythmia . Hypoglycemia is a frequent complication and needs to be tested for and treated. Intravenous thiamine and glucose is often recommended, as many causes of hypothermia are complicated by Wernicke's encephalopathy . The UK National Health Service advises against putting a person in a hot bath, massaging their arms and legs, using a heating pad, or giving them alcohol. These measures can cause
216-408: A pulse , cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is indicated along with the above measures. Rewarming is typically continued until a person's temperature is greater than 32 °C (90 °F). If there is no improvement at this point or the blood potassium level is greater than 12 millimoles per litre at any time, resuscitation may be discontinued. Hypothermia is the cause of at least 1,500 deaths
288-625: A cold environment. Hypothermia occurs frequently in major trauma , and is also observed in severe cases of anorexia nervosa . Hypothermia is also associated with worse outcomes in people with sepsis — while most people with sepsis develop fevers (elevated body temperature), some develop hypothermia. In urban areas, hypothermia frequently occurs with chronic cold exposure, such as in cases of homelessness, as well as with immersion accidents involving drugs, alcohol or mental illness. While studies have shown that people experiencing homelessness are at risk of premature death from hypothermia,
360-423: A larger surface area per unit mass, and other things being equal should have one more layer of clothing than adults in similar conditions, and the time they spend in cold environments should be limited. However, children are often more active than adults, and may generate more heat. In both adults and children, overexertion causes sweating and thus increases heat loss. Building a shelter can aid survival where there
432-508: A major limitation to swimming or diving in cold water. The reduction in finger dexterity due to pain or numbness decreases general safety and work capacity, which consequently increases the risk of other injuries. Other factors predisposing to immersion hypothermia include dehydration , inadequate rewarming between repetitive dives , starting a dive while wearing cold, wet dry suit undergarments, sweating with work, inadequate thermal insulation , and poor physical conditioning . Heat
504-758: A near-normal body temperature with low skin temperature; signs include shivering. Cold stress is caused by cold exposure and it can lead to hypothermia and frostbite if not treated. Symptoms of mild hypothermia may be vague, with sympathetic nervous system excitation (shivering, high blood pressure , fast heart rate , fast respiratory rate , and contraction of blood vessels ). These are all physiological responses to preserve heat. Increased urine production due to cold , mental confusion, and liver dysfunction may also be present. Hyperglycemia may be present, as glucose consumption by cells and insulin secretion both decrease, and tissue sensitivity to insulin may be blunted. Sympathetic activation also releases glucose from
576-563: A payment before using these toilets. Some large organisers will charge up to US$ 100 , while smaller ones may charge US$ 5 per day or US$ 10 for the entire stay; thus, many independent mountaineers choose to defecate on the mountainside. For the Incas , Aconcagua was a sacred mountain. As on other mountains (e.g. Ampato ), places of worship were built here and sacrifices, including human sacrifices , were made. The sites discovered in 1985 at an elevation of 5167 m are among
648-403: A person was buried in an avalanche for more than 35 minutes and is found with a mouth packed full of snow without a pulse, stopping early may also be reasonable. This is also the case if a person's blood potassium is greater than 12 mmol/L. Those who are stiff with pupils that do not move may survive if treated aggressively. Survival with good function also occasionally occurs even after
720-401: A rapid fall in blood pressure and potential cardiac arrest. Rewarming can be done with a number of methods including passive external rewarming, active external rewarming, and active internal rewarming. Passive external rewarming involves the use of a person's own ability to generate heat by providing properly insulated dry clothing and moving to a warm environment. Passive external rewarming
792-447: A result of hypothermia. In essence, hypothermia increases preglomerular vasoconstriction , thus decreasing both renal blood flow (RBF) and GFR. Accurate determination of core temperature often requires a special low temperature thermometer, as most clinical thermometers do not measure accurately below 34.4 °C (93.9 °F). A low temperature thermometer can be placed in the rectum, esophagus or bladder. Esophageal measurements are
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#1732766170071864-555: A shallow sea. However, sometime in the Miocene, about 8 to 10 million years ago, the subduction angle started to decrease, resulting in a stop of the melting and more horizontal stresses between the oceanic plate and the continent, causing the thrust faults that lifted Aconcagua off its volcanic root. The rocks on Aconcagua's flanks are all volcanic and consist of lavas, breccias and pyroclastics . The shallow marine basin had already formed earlier (Triassic), even before Aconcagua arose as
936-570: A situation detected during laboratory experiments where there is a continued decrease in core temperature after rewarming has been started. Recent studies have not supported these concerns, and problems are not found with active external rewarming. For people who are alert and able to swallow, drinking warm (not hot) sweetened liquids can help raise the temperature. General medical consensus advises against alcohol and caffeinated drinks . As most hypothermic people are moderately dehydrated due to cold-induced diuresis , warmed intravenous fluids to
1008-455: A temperature of 38–45 °C (100–113 °F) are often recommended. In those without signs of life, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should be continued during active rewarming. For ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia , a single defibrillation should be attempted. However, people with severe hypothermia may not respond to pacing or defibrillation. It is not known if further defibrillation should be withheld until
1080-663: A temperature of greater than 37.5–38.3 °C (99.5–100.9 °F). Signs and symptoms vary depending on the degree of hypothermia, and may be divided by the three stages of severity. People with hypothermia may appear pale and feel cold to touch. Infants with hypothermia may feel cold when touched, with bright red skin and an unusual lack of energy. Behavioural changes such as impaired judgement, impaired sense of time and place, unusual aggression and numbness can be observed in individuals with hypothermia, they can also deny their condition and refuse any help. A hypothermic person can be euphoric and hallucinating. Cold stress refers to
1152-423: A time of 11 hours 52 minutes, nearly an hour faster than Kilian Jornet. In 2016, Fernanda Maciel [ fr ] set the first women record for climbing and descending Aconcagua from Horcones in 22 hours, 52 minutes. The current women's record is held by Ecuadorean Daniela Sandoval at 20 hours, 17 minutes. On 25 September 2019, an Airbus Helicopters H145 landed on the very peak of Mount Aconcagua. This
1224-558: A volcano. However, volcanism has been present in this region for as long as this basin was around and volcanic deposits interfinger with marine deposits throughout the sequence. The colorful greenish, bluish and grey deposits seen in the Horcones Valley and south of Puente Del Inca, are carbonates, limestones, turbidites and evaporates that filled this basin. The red-colored rocks are intrusions, cinder deposits and conglomerates of volcanic origin. In mountaineering terms, Aconcagua
1296-539: A year in the United States. It is more common in older people and males. One of the lowest documented body temperatures from which someone with accidental hypothermia has survived is 12.7 °C (54.9 °F) in a 2-year-old boy from Poland named Adam. Survival after more than six hours of CPR has been described. In individuals for whom ECMO or bypass is used, survival is around 50%. Deaths due to hypothermia have played an important role in many wars. The term
1368-516: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about a place in La Rioja Province , Argentina is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about a place in Mendoza Province , Argentina is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Cold weather injuries Hypothermia is defined as a body core temperature below 35.0 °C (95.0 °F) in humans. Symptoms depend on
1440-611: Is danger of death from exposure. Shelters can be constructed out of a variety of materials. Metal can conduct heat away from the occupants and is sometimes best avoided. The shelter should not be too big so body warmth stays near the occupants. Good ventilation is essential especially if a fire will be lit in the shelter. Fires should be put out before the occupants sleep to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. People caught in very cold, snowy conditions can build an igloo or snow cave to shelter. The United States Coast Guard promotes using life vests to protect against hypothermia through
1512-627: Is determined, as with any object, by convection , conduction , and radiation . The rates of these can be affected by body mass index , body surface area to volume ratios, clothing and other environmental conditions. Many changes to physiology occur as body temperatures decrease. These occur in the cardiovascular system leading to the Osborn J wave and other dysrhythmias, decreased central nervous system electrical activity, cold diuresis , and non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema . Research has shown that glomerular filtration rates (GFR) decrease as
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#17327661700711584-469: Is frequently complicated by alcohol consumption. Any condition that decreases heat production, increases heat loss, or impairs thermoregulation, however, may contribute. Thus, hypothermia risk factors include: substance use disorders (including alcohol use disorder ), homelessness , any condition that affects judgment (such as hypoglycemia), the extremes of age, poor clothing, chronic medical conditions (such as hypothyroidism and sepsis ), and living in
1656-406: Is from Greek ῠ̔πο (ypo), meaning "under", and θέρμη ( thérmē ), meaning "heat". The opposite of hypothermia is hyperthermia , an increased body temperature due to failed thermoregulation. Hypothermia is often defined as any body temperature below 35.0 °C (95.0 °F). With this method it is divided into degrees of severity based on the core temperature . Another classification system,
1728-445: Is lost much more quickly in water than in air. Thus, water temperatures that would be quite reasonable as outdoor air temperatures can lead to hypothermia in survivors, although this is not usually the direct clinical cause of death for those who are not rescued. A water temperature of 10 °C (50 °F) can lead to death in as little as one hour, and water temperatures near freezing can cause death in as little as 15 minutes. During
1800-454: Is matched to the degree of hypothermia. Treatment ranges from noninvasive, passive external warming to active external rewarming, to active core rewarming. In severe cases resuscitation begins with simultaneous removal from the cold environment and management of the airway, breathing, and circulation. Rapid rewarming is then commenced. Moving the person as little and as gently as possible is recommended as aggressive handling may increase risks of
1872-638: Is not typically a concern in and of itself. Twenty to fifty percent of hypothermia deaths are associated with paradoxical undressing. This typically occurs during moderate and severe hypothermia, as the person becomes disoriented, confused, and combative. They may begin discarding their clothing, which, in turn, increases the rate of heat loss. Rescuers who are trained in mountain survival techniques are taught to expect this; however, people who die from hypothermia in urban environments who are found in an undressed state are sometimes incorrectly assumed to have been subjected to sexual assault . One explanation for
1944-676: Is now known as the Polish Glacier . A route over the Southwest Ridge was pioneered over seven days in January 1953 by the Swiss-Argentine team of Frederico and Dorly Marmillod, Francisco Ibanez and Fernando Grajales. The famously difficult South Face was conquered by a French team led by René Ferlet [ fr ] . Pierre Lesueur, Adrien Dagory, Robert Paragot, Edmond Denis, Lucien Berardini and Guy Poulet reached
2016-531: Is only the 189th highest mountain in the world . It lies 112 kilometres (70 miles) northwest of the provincial capital, the city of Mendoza , about five kilometres (three miles) from San Juan Province , and 15 km (9 mi) from Argentina's border with Chile . The mountain is one of the Seven Summits of the seven continents . Aconcagua is bounded by the Valle de las Vacas to the north and east and
2088-571: Is recommended for moderate hypothermia. Active core rewarming involves the use of intravenous warmed fluids, irrigation of body cavities with warmed fluids (the chest or abdomen ), use of warm humidified inhaled air, or use of extracorporeal rewarming such as via a heart lung machine or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Extracorporeal rewarming is the fastest method for those with severe hypothermia. When severe hypothermia has led to cardiac arrest, effective extracorporeal warming results in survival with normal mental function about 50% of
2160-417: Is recommended for those with mild hypothermia. Active external rewarming involves applying warming devices externally, such as a heating blanket. These may function by warmed forced air ( Bair Hugger is a commonly used device), chemical reactions, or electricity. In wilderness environments, hypothermia may be helped by placing hot water bottles in both armpits and in the groin. Active external rewarming
2232-456: Is technically an easy mountain if approached from the north, via the normal route . Aconcagua is arguably the highest non-technical mountain in the world since the northern route does not absolutely require ropes, axes, and pins. Although the effects of altitude are severe (atmospheric pressure is 40% of sea level at the summit), the use of supplemental oxygen is not common. Altitude sickness will affect most climbers to some extent, depending on
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2304-674: Is the Andean mountain range that makes up the boundary between Central Chile and neighbouring areas of Argentina. It is also a continental divide between the Atlantic and the Pacific watersheds. It extends in a north–south direction in the Argentine provinces of La Rioja , San Juan and Mendoza and the Chilean regions of Valparaíso , Santiago , O'Higgins and Maule . To the east of
2376-460: Is the first time in history a twin-engine helicopter has landed at this altitude. It took a total of 45 minutes for the entire trip, 30 minutes from Mendoza and another 15 from the base camp up to the peak. Temperatures were reported as low as −22 °C (−8 °F), with wind gusts up to 30 kn (56 km/h; 35 mph). This is not the highest a helicopter has landed before, as a single-engine Airbus Helicopters H125 landed on Mount Everest,
2448-783: Is usually maintained near a constant level of 36.5–37.5 °C (97.7–99.5 °F) through thermoregulation . Efforts to increase body temperature involve shivering, increased voluntary activity, and putting on warmer clothing. Hypothermia may be diagnosed based on either a person's symptoms in the presence of risk factors or by measuring a person's core temperature. The treatment of mild hypothermia involves warm drinks, warm clothing, and voluntary physical activity. In those with moderate hypothermia, heating blankets and warmed intravenous fluids are recommended. People with moderate or severe hypothermia should be moved gently. In severe hypothermia, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) or cardiopulmonary bypass may be useful. In those without
2520-422: Is usually recommended not to declare a person dead until their body is warmed to a near normal body temperature of greater than 32 °C (90 °F), since extreme hypothermia can suppress heart and brain function. This is summarized in the common saying "You're not dead until you're warm and dead." Exceptions include if there are obvious fatal injuries or the chest is frozen so that it cannot be compressed. If
2592-646: The Valle de los Horcones Inferior to the west and south. The mountain and its surroundings are part of the Aconcagua Provincial Park . The mountain has a number of glaciers . The largest glacier is the Ventisquero Horcones Inferior at about 10 km (6 mi) long, which descends from the south face to about 3,600 m (11,800 ft) in elevation near the Confluencia camp. Two other large glacier systems are
2664-753: The sinking of the Titanic , most people who entered the −2 °C (28 °F) water died in 15–30 minutes. The actual cause of death in cold water is usually the bodily reactions to heat loss and to freezing water, rather than hypothermia (loss of core temperature) itself. For example, plunged into freezing seas, around 20% of victims die within two minutes from cold shock (uncontrolled rapid breathing , and gasping, causing water inhalation, massive increase in blood pressure and cardiac strain leading to cardiac arrest , and panic ); another 50% die within 15–30 minutes from cold incapacitation: inability to use or control limbs and hands for swimming or gripping, as
2736-466: The 50/50/50 rule: If someone is in 10 °C (50 °F) water for 50 minutes, they have a 50 percent better chance of survival if they are wearing a life jacket. A heat escape lessening position can be used to increase survival in cold water. Babies should sleep at 16–20 °C (61–68 °F) and housebound people should be checked regularly to make sure the temperature of the home is at least 18 °C (64 °F). Aggressiveness of treatment
2808-622: The Andes, implying their basin was closed and uplifted by tectonic inversion . The said rocks are grouped in the Abanico and Farellones Formation . Tectonic inversion took place 21 to 16 million years (Ma) ago, yet the associated pulse of uplift continued until about 8 Ma ago. The Miocene continental divide was about 20 km to the west of the modern water divide that makes up the Argentina–Chile border . Subsequent river incision shifted
2880-577: The Polish Glacier Traverse Route, and the remaining 3% on other routes. The campsites on the normal route are listed below (elevations are approximate). Summit attempts are usually made from a high camp at either Berlín or Colera, or from the lower camp at Nido de Cóndores. The first attempt to summit Aconcagua by Europeans was made in 1883 by a party led by the German geologist and explorer Paul Güssfeldt . Bribing porters with
2952-613: The Principal Cordillera lies the Frontal Cordillera which is fully in Argentina. Aconcagua , the tallest mountain outside Asia, lies in the Principal Cordillera. What is today the Principal Cordillera was once a depression that accumulated sediments . Lava flows from ancient volcanoes also found their way to the depression. Today these sequences of sedimentary and volcanic rock can be observed high in
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3024-781: The Quechua Anco Cahuac , meaning "White Sentinel"; or the Aymara Janq'u Q'awa , meaning "White Ravine". The mountain was created by the subduction of the Nazca Plate beneath the South American Plate . Aconcagua used to be an active stratovolcano (from the Late Cretaceous or Early Paleocene through the Miocene ) and consisted of several volcanic complexes on the edge of a basin with
3096-462: The Swiss staging system, divides hypothermia based on the presenting symptoms which is preferred when it is not possible to determine an accurate core temperature. Other cold-related injuries that can be present either alone or in combination with hypothermia include: The normal human body temperature is often stated as 36.5–37.5 °C (97.7–99.5 °F). Hyperthermia and fevers are defined as
3168-694: The Ventisquero de las Vacas Sur and Glaciar Este/Ventisquero Relinchos system at about 5 km (3 mi) long. The best known is the northeastern or Polish Glacier , as it is a common route of ascent. The origin of the name is uncertain. It may be from the Mapudungun Aconca-Hue , which refers to the Aconcagua River and means "comes from the other side"; the Quechua Ackon Cahuak , meaning "Sentinel of Stone";
3240-456: The absence of a pulse before initiating CPR. Others recommend a 60-second check. The classical ECG finding of hypothermia is the Osborn J wave. Also, ventricular fibrillation frequently occurs below 28 °C (82 °F) and asystole below 20 °C (68 °F). The Osborn J may look very similar to those of an acute ST elevation myocardial infarction . Thrombolysis as a reaction to
3312-487: The body "protectively" shuts down the peripheral muscles of the limbs to protect its core. Exhaustion and unconsciousness cause drowning, claiming the rest within a similar time. Heat is primarily generated in muscle tissue, including the heart, and in the liver, while it is lost through the skin (90%) and lungs (10%). Heat production may be increased (to over 1200 W in trained endurance athletes) through muscle contractions (i.e. exercise and shivering). The rate of heat loss
3384-411: The body's ability to shiver and use energy that would normally aid the body in generating heat. The overall effects of alcohol lead to a decrease in body temperature and a decreased ability to generate body heat in response to cold environments. Alcohol is a common risk factor for death due to hypothermia. Between 33% and 73% of hypothermia cases are complicated by alcohol. Hypothermia continues to be
3456-457: The body, such as liner socks and moisture-wicking undergarments. Clothing should be loose fitting, as tight clothing reduces the circulation of warm blood. In planning outdoor activity, prepare appropriately for possible cold weather. Those who drink alcohol before or during outdoor activity should ensure at least one sober person responsible for safety is present. Covering the head is effective, but no more effective than covering any other part of
3528-456: The body. While common folklore says that people lose most of their heat through their heads, heat loss from the head is no more significant than that from other uncovered parts of the body. However, heat loss from the head is significant in infants, whose head is larger relative to the rest of the body than in adults. Several studies have shown that for uncovered infants, lined hats significantly reduce heat loss and thermal stress. Children have
3600-509: The core temperature reaches 30 °C (86 °F). In Europe, epinephrine is not recommended until the person's core temperature reaches 30 °C (86 °F), while the American Heart Association recommends up to three doses of epinephrine before a core temperature of 30 °C (86 °F) is reached. Once a temperature of 30 °C (86 °F) has been reached, normal ACLS protocols should be followed. It
3672-417: The degree of acclimatization . Although the normal climb is technically easy, multiple casualties occur every year on this mountain (in January 2009 alone, five climbers died). This is due to the large numbers of climbers who attempt and because many climbers underestimate the objective risks of the elevation and of cold weather, which is the real challenge on this mountain. Given the weather conditions close to
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#17327661700713744-489: The divide to the east leaving old flattish surfaces hanging. Compression and uplift in this part of the Andes has continued into the present. The Principal Cordillera had risen to heights that allowed for the development of valley glaciers about 1 Ma ago. This Chile location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about a place in San Juan Province , Argentina
3816-479: The effect is a cold-induced malfunction of the hypothalamus , the part of the brain that regulates body temperature. Another explanation is that the muscles contracting peripheral blood vessels become exhausted (known as a loss of vasomotor tone ) and relax, leading to a sudden surge of blood (and heat) to the extremities, causing the person to feel overheated. An apparent self-protective behaviour, known as "terminal burrowing", or "hide-and-die syndrome", occurs in
3888-609: The final stages of hypothermia. Those affected will enter small, enclosed spaces, such as underneath beds or behind wardrobes. It is often associated with paradoxical undressing. Researchers in Germany claim this is "obviously an autonomous process of the brain stem, which is triggered in the final state of hypothermia and produces a primitive and burrowing-like behavior of protection, as seen in hibernating mammals". This happens mostly in cases where temperature drops slowly. Hypothermia usually occurs from exposure to low temperatures, and
3960-415: The general population. Alcohol consumption increases the risk of hypothermia in two ways: vasodilation and temperature controlling systems in the brain. Vasodilation increases blood flow to the skin, resulting in heat being lost to the environment. This produces the effect of feeling warm, when one is actually losing heat. Alcohol also affects the temperature-regulating system in the brain, decreasing
4032-1251: The highest in the world and are the most difficult of all Inca sites to reach. Here, the remains of a child bedded on grass, cloth and feathers were found inside stone walls ( Aconcagua mummy ). The clothing indicates that the child was a member of the highest social class. Other offerings found included figures and coca leaves . 1: Aconcagua (6.962 m) - Mendoza 2: Ojos del Salado (6.893 m) - Catamarca 3: Monte Pissis (6.793 m) - La Rioja 4: Cerro Bonete (6.759 m) - La Rioja 5: Tres Cruces (6.748 m) - Catamarca 6: Llullaillaco (6.739 m) - Salta 7: Mercedario (6.710 m) - San Juan 8: Tipas (6.670 m) - Catamarca 9: Incahuasi (6.621 m) - Catamarca 10: Tupungato (6.570 m) - Mendoza 11: El Muerto (6.510 m) - Catamarca 12: Nacimiento (6.460 m) - Catamarca 13: Veladero (6.436 m) - La Rioja 14: El Cóndor (6.414 m) - Catamarca 15: Antofalla (6.409 m) - Catamarca 16: Ramada (6.384 m) - San Juan 17: Cachi (6.380 m) - Salta 18: Reclus (6.335 m) - La Rioja 19: La Majadita (6.280 m) - San Juan 20: Los Patos (6.239 m) - Catamarca Principal Cordillera Principal Cordillera ( Spanish : Cordillera Principal )
4104-494: The highest mountain in the world. At nearly 7,000 m (23,000 ft), Aconcagua is the highest peak outside of Asia. It is believed to have the highest death rate of any mountain in South America — around three a year — which has earned it the nickname "Mountain of Death". More than 100 people have died on Aconcagua since records began. Due to the improper disposal of human waste in
4176-414: The liver. In many cases, however, especially in people with alcoholic intoxication, hypoglycemia appears to be a more common cause. Hypoglycemia is also found in many people with hypothermia, as hypothermia may be a result of hypoglycemia. As hypothermia progresses, symptoms include: mental status changes such as amnesia, confusion, slurred speech, decreased reflexes, and loss of fine motor skills. As
4248-408: The most accurate and are recommended once a person is intubated . Other methods of measurement such as in the mouth, under the arm, or using an infrared ear thermometer are often not accurate. As a hypothermic person's heart rate may be very slow, prolonged feeling for a pulse could be required before detecting. In 2005, the American Heart Association recommended at least 30–45 seconds to verify
4320-611: The mountain environment there are significant health hazards that pose a threat to both animals and human beings. Only boiled or chemically treated water is accepted for drinking. Additionally, ecofriendly toilets are available only to members of an organised expedition, meaning climbers have to "be contracted to a toilet service" at the base camp and similar camps along the route. As of 2015, from two base camps (Plaza de Mulas and Plaza Argentina), over 120 barrels of waste (approx. 22,500 kg (49,600 lb)) are flown out by helicopter each season. In addition, individual mountaineers must make
4392-557: The need for hours of CPR. Children who have near- drowning accidents in water near 0 °C (32 °F) can occasionally be revived, even over an hour after losing consciousness. The cold water lowers the metabolism , allowing the brain to withstand a much longer period of hypoxia . While survival is possible, mortality from severe or profound hypothermia remains high despite optimal treatment. Studies estimate mortality at between 38% and 75%. In those who have hypothermia due to another underlying health problem, when death occurs it
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#17327661700714464-428: The presence of Osborn J waves is not indicated, as it would only worsen the underlying coagulopathy caused by hypothermia. Staying dry and wearing proper clothing help to prevent hypothermia. Synthetic and wool fabrics are superior to cotton as they provide better insulation when wet and dry. Some synthetic fabrics, such as polypropylene and polyester , are used in clothing designed to wick perspiration away from
4536-530: The story of treasure on the mountain, he approached the mountain via the Rio Volcan, making two attempts on the peak by the northwest ridge and reaching an elevation of 6,500 metres (21,300 ft). The route that he prospected is now the standard route up the mountain. The first recorded ascent was in 1897 by a European expedition led by the British mountaineer Edward FitzGerald . FitzGerald failed to reach
4608-435: The summit after a month of effort on 25 February 1954. As of 2020 the youngest person to reach the summit of Aconcagua is Tyler Armstrong of California. He was nine years old when he reached the summit on 24 December 2013. Kaamya Karthikeyan of India at an age of 12 became the youngest girl to reach the summit on 1 February 2020. The oldest person to climb it was Scott Lewis, who reached the summit on 26 November 2007, when he
4680-556: The summit himself over eight attempts between December 1896 and February 1897, but the (Swiss) guide of the expedition, Matthias Zurbriggen reached the summit on 14 January. On the final attempt a month later, two other expedition members, Stuart Vines and Nicola Lanti, reached the summit on 13 February. The east side of Aconcagua was first scaled by a Polish expedition , with Konstanty Narkiewicz-Jodko , Stefan Daszyński [ pl ] , Wiktor Ostrowski [ pl ] and Stefan Osiecki summiting on 8 March 1934, over what
4752-531: The summit, cold weather injuries are very common. The routes to the peak from the south and south-west ridges are more demanding and the south face climb is considered quite difficult. The Polish Glacier Traverse route, also known as the "Falso de los Polacos" route, crosses through the Vacas valley, ascends to the base of the Polish Glacier, then traverses across to the normal route for the final ascent to
4824-518: The summit. The third most popular route is by the Polish Glacier itself. Provincial Park rangers do not maintain records of successful summits but estimates suggest a summit rate of 30–40%. About 75% of climbers are foreigners and 25% are Argentinean. Among foreigners, the United States leads in the number of climbers, followed by Germany and the UK. About 54% of climbers ascend the Normal Route, 43% up
4896-553: The temperature decreases, further physiological systems falter and heart rate , respiratory rate , and blood pressure all decrease. This results in an expected heart rate in the 30s at a temperature of 28 °C (82 °F). There is often cold, inflamed skin, hallucinations, lack of reflexes, fixed dilated pupils, low blood pressure, pulmonary edema, and shivering is often absent. Pulse and respiration rates decrease significantly, but fast heart rates (ventricular tachycardia, atrial fibrillation) can also occur. Atrial fibrillation
4968-676: The temperature. In mild hypothermia, there is shivering and mental confusion. In moderate hypothermia, shivering stops and confusion increases. In severe hypothermia, there may be hallucinations and paradoxical undressing , in which a person removes their clothing, as well as an increased risk of the heart stopping . Hypothermia has two main types of causes. It classically occurs from exposure to cold weather and cold water immersion. It may also occur from any condition that decreases heat production or increases heat loss. Commonly, this includes alcohol intoxication but may also include low blood sugar , anorexia and advanced age. Body temperature
5040-450: The time. Chest irrigation is recommended if bypass or ECMO is not possible. Rewarming shock (or rewarming collapse) is a sudden drop in blood pressure in combination with a low cardiac output which may occur during active treatment of a severely hypothermic person. There was a theoretical concern that external rewarming rather than internal rewarming may increase the risk. These concerns were partly believed to be due to afterdrop ,
5112-417: The true incidence of hypothermia-related deaths in this population is difficult to determine. In more rural environments, the incidence of hypothermia is higher among people with significant comorbidities and less ability to move independently. With rising interest in wilderness exploration, and outdoor and water sports, the incidence of hypothermia secondary to accidental exposure may become more frequent in
5184-419: Was 87 years old. In the base camp Plaza de Mulas (at 4,300 m (14,100 ft) above sea level) there is the highest contemporary art gallery tent called "Nautilus" of the Argentine painter Miguel Doura . In 2014, Kilian Jornet set a record for climbing and descending Aconcagua from Horcones in 12 hours and 49 minutes. The record was broken less than two months later by Ecuadorian-Swiss Karl Egloff , in
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