Figures from the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS), published by The Herald newspaper, showed that about 44 people a day were taken to hospital between 1 and 18 December.The first half of December saw an Arctic blast hit the UK with freezing temperatures and snow across Scotland.He said: "We have been concerned for months that a particularly cold winter, coupled with the energy crisis, would mean that large numbers of older people would experience hypothermia or other serious issues linked to a low body temperature - such as heart attacks and strokes.Hypothermia develops when the body temperature (37C/98.6F) falls by just two degrees.Mr Stachura said: "We know that hundreds of older people on low incomes are not heating their homes to comfortable levels, missing hot meals, or have been staying in cold homes alone for long periods of time."