Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Coroner attributes Riggio?s death to hyperthermia

Hot tub and alcohol combination can lead to fatal result


By TERRY SMITH
Express Staff Writer

Mila Riggio

The Blaine County Coroner's Office has determined that Mila Riggio died from soaking in a hot tub in combination with consuming alcohol, an unusual but not unknown occurrence.

Officially, the coroner's office listed the cause of death as "hyperthermia combined with alcohol intake."

Coroner Russell Mikel's determination, which was released Tuesday afternoon, was based largely on toxicology analyses, which were conducted following Riggio's death on Monday, Aug. 6. She was found that morning in a livestock watering trough that had been converted into a hot tub at Upper Board Ranch some 10 miles west of Ketchum up Warm Springs Road.

Forty-six-year-old Riggio, who lived in Hailey, was well known in the Wood River Valley for her leadership and involvement in numerous community organizations and events. She was executive producer for Plum Sun Valley Television and had lived in the valley for 21 years.

Mikel explained that body temperatures naturally increase while someone soaks in hot water. Combined with alcohol, which causes blood vessels to expand, hyperthermia, or overheating of the body, can occur much quicker.

He said Riggio's death is the third caused by hot tub soaking in combination with alcohol consumption that he's aware of in the Wood River Valley within the last 20 years.

Although the condition is uncommon, it is "definitely a hazard," he said.

"The potential problems are that the person passes out and drowns, or they just succumb to hyperthermia," Mikel said. He explained further that hyperthermia can lead to shutdown of the automatic nervous system, which can cause a victim's heart or lungs to stop functioning.

Mikel cautioned against drinking combined with soaking in hot water.

"Most of the time, people tolerate it and don't have any problems," he said. "But it is a potential risk."




 Local Weather 
Search archives:


Copyright © 2024 Express Publishing Inc.   Terms of Use   Privacy Policy
All Rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Express Publishing Inc. is prohibited. 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.