UNIT 7 FEVER Flashcards
pyrexia
fever
Fever
elevation of body temperature caused by cytokine-induced elevation of hypothalamic set-point temperature
If fever above 41 degrees C
usually result of other activity such as dehydration, diabetes and other chemicals
Pyrogens
microorganisms and substances that cause a fever
Thermogenesis
mechanisms that raise temperature
Steps of fever production
- pyrogens enter
- set-point is elevated
- body responds to raise temperature (shivering, vasoconstriction (pallor), increased metabolism, HR)
- fever breaks (body at new temperature)
- reset set point to normal
- body responds to increase heat loss (sweating, lethargy, vasodilation)
- body returns to normal temperature
possible benefits of fever
- enhance mobilty/activity of WBC
- stimulate interferon production
- activate T cells
- inhibit growth of certain pathogens
fever may be described as
- intermittent
- remittent
- sustained
- relapsing
Intermittent fever
every 24h theres an increase in body temperature at night then it is brought back down
associated disease of intermittent fever
- abscesses = large areas of infected necrosis
- endocarditis = inflammation of inner lining of the heart
- sepsis
Remittent fever
never returns to normal, but osculations are similar to intermittent
associated problems with remittent fever
- upper respiratory tract viral infections
- mycoplasma infections
Sustained fever
not many osculations
- temperature remains above normal
eg. drug fever
Relapsing fever
- fever episodes each lasting several days
eg. TB, malaria, lyme disease, fungal infections
A 1 degree rise in body temperature produces a Heart Rate increase of?
15 bpm