Thermoregulation Flashcards
Thermoregulation
The body process that balances heat production and heat loss to maintain the body’s temperature
Heat balance
When the amount of heat produced by the body equals the amount of heat lost
Hyperthermia
The body produces more heat than is lost
Hypothermia
The body loses more heat than it produces
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
The rate of energy utilization the body requires to maintain essential activities such as breathing
Thyroxine output
Increased thyroxine output increases the rate of cellular metabolism throughout the body. An effect called chemical thermogenesis.
Chemical thermogenesis
The stimulation of heat production in the body through increased cellular metabolism
Epinephrine, norepinephrine, and sympathetic stimulation/stress response
Neurotransmitters that mount a sympathetic nervous system response that can immediately increase the rate of cellular metabolism in many body tissues. Epi and Norepi directly affect liver and muscle cells, thereby increasing cellular metabolism
Fever
A protective immune response to foreign antigens within the body that increases the cellular metabolic rate, thus increasing the body’s temperature
Conduction
The process of heat transfer through physical contact of one surface with another surface.
Convection
The process of heat transfer through the fluid motion of air or water across the skin.
Radiation
The process of heat transfer with no physical contact.
Evaporation
The process of converting water to a vapor. The evaporation of sweat is a natural process to cool a heated body
Homeothermic
Newbors attempt to stabilize their core body temperature within a narrow range in spite of significant temp variations in their environment.
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Normothermia
The usual range of body temperature
The normal temperature range for adults
Between 36-37.5 degrees celsius, 96.8-99.5 degree fahrenheit
Febrile
A patient who has a fever
Afebrile
A patient who does not have a fever
The 3 physiological mechanisms of hypothermia are:
- Excessive heat loss
- Inadequate heat production to conteract heat loss
- Impaired hypothalamic thermoregulation
Hypothermic temperatures are below..
36 degrees celsius (96.8 F)
At about 34 C (93.2 F) the body cannot function and death occurs
Extremely high temps of 41-42 C (105.8-108F) cause..
cell protein coagulation and cell death. In the brain, this produces irreversible damage.
Malignant hyperthermia
A potentially fatal inherited disorder that produces a serious reaction to volatile inhalational anesthetic gases and succinylcholine, a depolarizing neuromuscular blocker.
Factors that increase the risk of hyperthermia
Age
Obesity
Medication
Unfamiliarity with a climate
Signs of hyperthermia
Paleness
Dizziness
Nausea and vomiting
Fainting
Advantages of oral temp
Accessible and convenient