Treating Severe Frostbite…

In the past there was not much that could be done with frostbite. Warming the patient, aspirin and amputation were the only treatment options. The drug called iloprost has just been approved by the FDA for treatment of frostbite. It was developed in the 1980’s in Germany and was used mostly for peripheral arterial disease. The drug must be administered intravenously for several hours a day over a period of a little more than a week. Iloprost works by opening blood vessels and in turn preventing inflammation and clot formation which blocks the movement of blood to frozen parts of the body. Although cases of frostbite are rare in America, the drug can be a lifesaver for the homeless who spend hours outside and for those who may work in extremely cold climates especially indigenous people who have active lifestyles in polar regions. Beginning in 2004 the drug was used to treat of pulmonary hypertension. European physicians were the first to use it to treat frostbite. Tests performed with artic circle residents and Himalayan climbers proved it to be effective in preventing serious repercussions from frostbite. The drug does need to be administered within the first 48 to 72 hours to prevent cell destruction.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10044161/https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-medication-treat-severe-frostbite