Alcohol and cold.

Alcohol is a dominant cause of death in urban hypothermia. Drinking alcohol gives a pleasant feeling of warmth. However, experimental studies on humans during relatively short exposure to moderate cold have given inconsistent results concerning heat balance. Longer exposure to colder environmental situations has, particularly with addition of strenous exercise, revealed enhanced heat loss. A warning must be given to drink alcohol beverages in connection with outdoor activities in a cold environment. It gives a feeling of bravery and influences judgement leading to ignoration of prophylactic measures. Alcohol delays the onset of shivering and reduces its duration. It augments cold diuresis thereby diminishing blood volume and physical working capacity. On the other hand, alcohol seems to protect the heart against ventricular fibrillation at low core temperatures. Furthermore ethanol also seems to have some positive properties in freezing cold injuries.