West Houston Medical Center as well as two other HCA Hospitals, Clear Lake Regional Medical Center and Kingwood Medical Center and two Medical Center facilities offer the Hypothermia Protocol for patients who have suffered a cardiac arrest. Cool packs are used on the patient’s chest and thighs to cool the body temperature to 91 degrees.
The intent of this procedure is to try to lower the body temperature to decrease the metabolism in the brain. This gives the brain a break, while other organs, like the heart, compete for oxygen. The Houston fire Department/EMS is the first major metropolitan city Fire/EMS to be involved in this type of protocol.