Fever Lecture Flashcards
C to F formula
C X 9/5 = F - 32
What is the normal body temp for average adult?
98.6 F
What is the minimum to diagnose a fever in average adult?
38 C
What is the temperature and age for exclusion of self care for patients?
104 F over 6 months
What is the physiology of fever?
Hypothalamus = body’s thermostat
Regulates body’s core temperature, causing it to either rise or fall, when needed
What is normal body temperature?
97.5-98.9 F
FLuctuates 1.8 in adults and 2.58 in children
What are non-pathologic reasons for variation in body temp?
Time of day (high between 5-7 pm and low between 3-5 am)
Age ( younger = ^)
Exercise (^)
Menstrual cycle (^)
What is a fever?
body temperature > normal core temperature (100.4) in response to a pyrogen
What is hyperthermia
Malfunction of the hypthalamus
What is hyperexia?
body temperature > 106F
What are the 3 types of fever?
Microbe-induced fever
pathology-induced fever
Drug-induced fever
What are microbe-induced fevers?
Caused by some kind of infective agent
Microbes are trying to replicated and core body temp is perfect
Body elevates core temp to eradicate the foreign objects
What are pathology-induced fevers?
Some kind of trauma or other form of pathological condition causing an increase in body temperature
- Fever: tissue damage, antigen-antibody reaction, CNS inflammation
- Hyperthermia: dehydration, heat stroke, hyperthroidism
What is a drug-induced fever?
“Drug-induced hyperthermia)
Medications that affect body temperature modify it at the hypothalamus
Account for up to 3% of all adverse drug events and upwards of 10% of all hospitalized patients
Drug-induced fever: altered thermoregulation & pharmacologic action?
Body can’t sweat, vasoconstriction, increased metabolic rate
-Antibiotics or chemotherapy agents induce endotoxin release
Drug-induced administration, hypersensitivity and idiosyncratic reaction?
Admin: due to impurities in meds or venous irritation
Hyper: Antigen-antibody reaction
Idios: malignant hyperthermia & neurolepic malignant syndrome
What is febrile seizures?
Seizure + fever
Children age 6 months - 5 years
No exact temperature
Risk for febrile seizures increase if the child has experienced one
Complications of fever?
Dehydration Delirium Coma Muscle/neurological damage Most commonly occurs with patients experiencing hyperthermia/hyperexia, not with traditional fever
Thermometers types and routes?
Types: mercury-in-glass, digital, infrared, color-changed
Routes: oral, rectal, tympanic, temporal, axillary
Mercury-in-glass thermometers?
Oral or rectal
Harder to find, more difficult to read, takes up to 5 minutes to get a reading and it has mercury
Digital thermometers?
Oral, rectal, and axillary
Usually can get reading in 30-60 seconds and are much easier to read than glass
Infrared and color-change thermometers?
Infrared tech is used in both temporal and tympanic thermometers
Not always used accurately and expensive
Color-change thermometers are easy to use but are not reliable or accurate
Oral thermometer use?
Wait 20-30 minutes after eating, drinking or smoking
Breath normally through nose
>100F
Rectal thermometer use?
Lubricate tip of thermometer
Lay child face down or on side in fetal position
insert probe no more than 1 inch in children and 2 inches in adults
.101.8F
Axillary Thermometer use?
Place tip of thermometer under armpit
Not recommended, not reliable
>99F
Tympanic thermometer use?
Ear
>100.4
Temporal thermometer use?
Forehead
>100F (4+)
100.3 (3 months to 4 years)
100.7 (under 2 months)
Exclusions for self-treatment?
Patients under 6 months with rectal temp above 104 Patients over six months with rectal temperature over 101 Fever lasting 3 days Severe symptoms of infection Impaired oxygen utilization impaired immune function CNS damage History of seizures or febrile seizures
Non-pharmacologic therapies?
Remove underlying cause dress in light, loos fitting clothes Increase hydration Maintain room temp at 78F Sponge bath
Pharmacologic therapies?
Ibuprofen and acetaminophen
PGs are produced in the body due to circulating pyrogens and increase body temp
MAX 3 days
