Intermittent dosing of antipyretics may produce alternating bouts of chills and sweats, which most patients find unpleasant. When the choice is made to suppress a fever, it is probably most comfortable to give antipyretics on a regular basis (every 4 or 6 hr) rather than intermittently. Suppression of fever in young children with viral and bacterial infections is often a comfort for them yet some researchers have speculated about adverse effects of this common practice (e.g., whether there is a link suppression of fever and autistic disorders). Suppression of fever (by induced hypothermia) is recommended for those who have suffered sudden death, stroke, or persistent seizures however, proof of the effectiveness of lowering the body temperature of stroke victims is based on laboratory data rather than clinical effectiveness. To date, however, controlled trials of withholding antipyretics in many illnesses have not been performed. In other settings (e.g., in patients with malignant hyperthermia or heatstroke), giving antipyretics represents a standard of care. In some settings (e.g., the care of the hospice patient with a fever) withholding an antipyretic drug is considered to be inadequate symptom management by most health care providers. It is unknown whether using antipyretics results in improvements in survival or decreases in morbidity. if the body temperature exceeds 101☏ (38.3☌). Nonetheless, medications such as acetaminophen, aspirin, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can lower body temperatures in febrile patients and are commonly used esp. Some believe that fever helps to eradicate infecting organisms that cannot survive in a hot environment. The suppression of fever, however, is controversial. Diagnosing the cause of a fever may lead to specific therapies that limit the duration of an illness, prevent secondary organ damage or even death. Fever is often an important indicator of infections or inflammations that may cause significant injury if left untreated. Patients with fever frequently seek professional medical attention. Despite common beliefs, fever is not harmful except in patients who cannot tolerate its hypermetabolic effects, some older patients in whom it can cause delirium, and children with a history of febrile seizures. Infections, drugs, tumors, breakdown of necrotic tissue, CNS damage, and collagen diseases are the underlying causes of fevers. Elevated temperature caused by inadequate thermoregulatory responses during exercise in very hot weather is called hyperthermia the set point is not increased. The body cools itself and returns its temperature to normal range by diaphoresis (sweating). macrophages), secretion of acute phase proteins, and redistribution of the blood away from the skin by the autonomic nervous system. Synonym: pyrexia See: basal energy expenditure temperature Etiologyįever is caused by the release of interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and tumor necrosis factor from white blood cells (esp. The expended basal energy is estimated to be increased about 12% for each degree centigrade of fever. Normal temperature fluctuates during the day and is lowest in the morning and highest in the late afternoon these variations are maintained during a fever. Rectal temperature is 0.5° to 1.0☏ higher than oral temperature. The normal temperature taken orally ranges from about 97.6° to 99.6☏ (36.3☌ to 37.6☌).
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