Fever | |
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Other names | Pyrexia, febrile response, febrile [1] |
Person with fever | |
Specialty | Infectious disease, pediatrics |
Symptoms | Initially: shivering, feeling cold, chills [2] Later: flushed, sweating [3] |
Complications | Febrile seizure [4] |
Causes | Virus, bacteria, increase in the body's temperature set point [5] [6] |
Diagnostic method | Temperature higher than the normal range of 37.2 and 38.3 °C (99.0 and 100.9 °F) [1] [7] [8] |
Differential diagnosis | Hyperthermia [1] |
Treatment | Based on underlying cause, not required for fever itself [2] [9] |
Medication | Ibuprofen, paracetamol (acetaminophen) [9] [10] |
Frequency | Common [2] [11] |
Fever or pyrexia in humans is a symptom of organism's anti-infection defense mechanism that appears with body temperature exceeding the normal range due to an increase in the body's temperature set point in the hypothalamus. [5] [6] [12] [7] There is no single agreed-upon upper limit for normal temperature: sources use values ranging between 37.2 and 38.3 °C (99.0 and 100.9 °F) in humans. [1] [7] [8]
The increase in set point triggers increased muscle contractions and causes a feeling of cold or chills. [2] This results in greater heat production and efforts to conserve heat. [3] When the set point temperature returns to normal, a person feels hot, becomes flushed, and may begin to sweat. [3] Rarely a fever may trigger a febrile seizure, with this being more common in young children. [4] Fevers do not typically go higher than 41 to 42 °C (106 to 108 °F). [6]
A fever can be caused by many medical conditions ranging from non-serious to life-threatening. [13] This includes viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections—such as influenza, the common cold, meningitis, urinary tract infections, appendicitis, Lassa fever, COVID-19, and malaria. [13] [14] Non-infectious causes include vasculitis, deep vein thrombosis, connective tissue disease, side effects of medication or vaccination, and cancer. [13] [15] It differs from hyperthermia, in that hyperthermia is an increase in body temperature over the temperature set point, due to either too much heat production or not enough heat loss. [1]
Treatment to reduce fever is generally not required. [2] [9] Treatment of associated pain and inflammation, however, may be useful and help a person rest. [9] Medications such as ibuprofen or paracetamol (acetaminophen) may help with this as well as lower temperature. [9] [10] Children younger than three months require medical attention, as might people with serious medical problems such as a compromised immune system or people with other symptoms. [16] Hyperthermia requires treatment. [2]
Fever is one of the most common medical signs. [2] It is part of about 30% of healthcare visits by children [2] and occurs in up to 75% of adults who are seriously sick. [11] While fever evolved as a defense mechanism, treating a fever does not appear to improve or worsen outcomes. [17] [18] [19] Fever is often viewed with greater concern by parents and healthcare professionals than is usually deserved, a phenomenon known as "fever phobia." [2] [20]
A fever is usually accompanied by sickness behavior, which consists of lethargy, depression, loss of appetite, sleepiness, hyperalgesia, dehydration, [21] [22] and the inability to concentrate. Sleeping with a fever can often cause intense or confusing nightmares, commonly called "fever dreams". [23] Mild to severe delirium (which can also cause hallucinations) may also present itself during high fevers. [24]
Temperature classification | ||||||||||||
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Note: The difference between fever and hyperthermia is the underlying mechanism. Different sources have different cut-offs for fever, hyperthermia and hyperpyrexia. | ||||||||||||
A range for normal temperatures has been found. [8] Central temperatures, such as rectal temperatures, are more accurate than peripheral temperatures. [30] Fever is generally agreed to be present if the elevated temperature [31] is caused by a raised set point and:
In adults, the normal range of oral temperatures in healthy individuals is 35.7–37.7 °C (96.3–99.9 °F) among men and 33.2–38.1 °C (91.8–100.6 °F) among women, while when taken rectally it is 36.7–37.5 °C (98.1–99.5 °F) among men and 36.8–37.1 °C (98.2–98.8 °F) among women, and for ear measurement it is 35.5–37.5 °C (95.9–99.5 °F) among men and 35.7–37.5 °C (96.3–99.5 °F) among women. [36]
Normal body temperatures vary depending on many factors, including age, sex, time of day, ambient temperature, activity level, and more. [37] [38] Normal daily temperature variation has been described as 0.5 °C (0.9 °F). [7] : 4012 A raised temperature is not always a fever. [37] For example, the temperature rises in healthy people when they exercise, but this is not considered a fever, as the set point is normal. [37] On the other hand, a "normal" temperature may be a fever, if it is unusually high for that person; for example, medically frail elderly people have a decreased ability to generate body heat, so a "normal" temperature of 37.3 °C (99.1 °F) may represent a clinically significant fever. [37] [39]
Hyperthermia is an elevation of body temperature over the temperature set point, due to either too much heat production or not enough heat loss. [1] [7] Hyperthermia is thus not considered fever. [7] : 103 [40] Hyperthermia should not be confused with hyperpyrexia (which is a very high fever). [7] : 102
Clinically, it is important to distinguish between fever and hyperthermia as hyperthermia may quickly lead to death and does not respond to antipyretic medications. The distinction may however be difficult to make in an emergency setting, and is often established by identifying possible causes. [7] : 103
Various patterns of measured patient temperatures have been observed, some of which may be indicative of a particular medical diagnosis:
Among the types of intermittent fever are ones specific to cases of malaria caused by different pathogens. These are: [48] [49]
In addition, there is disagreement regarding whether a specific fever pattern is associated with Hodgkin's lymphoma—the Pel–Ebstein fever, with patients argued to present high temperature for one week, followed by low for the next week, and so on, where the generality of this pattern is debated. [52] [53]
Persistent fever that cannot be explained after repeated routine clinical inquiries is called fever of unknown origin. [7] [54] A neutropenic fever, also called febrile neutropenia, is a fever in the absence of normal immune system function. [55] Because of the lack of infection-fighting neutrophils, a bacterial infection can spread rapidly; this fever is, therefore, usually considered to require urgent medical attention. [56] This kind of fever is more commonly seen in people receiving immune-suppressing chemotherapy than in apparently healthy people. [55] [57]
Hyperpyrexia is an extreme elevation of body temperature which, depending upon the source, is classified as a core body temperature greater than or equal to 40 or 41 °C (104 or 106 °F); the range of hyperpyrexia includes cases considered severe (≥ 40 °C) and extreme (≥ 42 °C). [7] [58] [59] It differs from hyperthermia in that one's thermoregulatory system's set point for body temperature is set above normal, then heat is generated to achieve it. In contrast, hyperthermia involves body temperature rising above its set point due to outside factors. [7] [60] The high temperatures of hyperpyrexia are considered medical emergencies, as they may indicate a serious underlying condition or lead to severe morbidity (including permanent brain damage), or to death. [61] A common cause of hyperpyrexia is an intracranial hemorrhage. [7] Other causes in emergency room settings include sepsis, Kawasaki syndrome, [62] neuroleptic malignant syndrome, drug overdose, serotonin syndrome, and thyroid storm. [61]
Fever is a common symptom of many medical conditions:
Adult and pediatric manifestations for the same disease may differ; for instance, in COVID-19, one metastudy describes 92.8% of adults versus 43.9% of children presenting with fever. [14]
In addition, fever can result from a reaction to an incompatible blood product. [75]
Fever is thought to contribute to host defense, [17] as the reproduction of pathogens with strict temperature requirements can be hindered, and the rates of some important immunological reactions are increased by temperature. [76] Fever has been described in teaching texts as assisting the healing process in various ways, including:
A fever response to an infectious disease is generally regarded as protective, whereas fever in non-infections may be maladaptive. [79] [80] Studies have not been consistent on whether treating fever generally worsens or improves mortality risk. [81] Benefits or harms may depend on the type of infection, health status of the patient and other factors. [79] Studies using warm-blooded vertebrates suggest that they recover more rapidly from infections or critical illness due to fever. [82] In sepsis, fever is associated with reduced mortality. [83]
Temperature is regulated in the hypothalamus. The trigger of a fever, called a pyrogen, results in the release of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). PGE2 in turn acts on the hypothalamus, which creates a systemic response in the body, causing heat-generating effects to match a new higher temperature set point. There are four receptors in which PGE2 can bind (EP1-4), with a previous study showing the EP3 subtype is what mediates the fever response. [84] Hence, the hypothalamus can be seen as working like a thermostat. [7] When the set point is raised, the body increases its temperature through both active generation of heat and retention of heat. Peripheral vasoconstriction both reduces heat loss through the skin and causes the person to feel cold. Norepinephrine increases thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue, and muscle contraction through shivering raises the metabolic rate. [85]
If these measures are insufficient to make the blood temperature in the brain match the new set point in the hypothalamus, the brain orchestrates heat effector mechanisms via the autonomic nervous system or primary motor center for shivering. These may be: [86]
When the hypothalamic set point moves back to baseline—either spontaneously or via medication—normal functions such as sweating, and the reverse of the foregoing processes (e.g., vasodilation, end of shivering, and nonshivering heat production) are used to cool the body to the new, lower setting.[ citation needed ]
This contrasts with hyperthermia, in which the normal setting remains, and the body overheats through undesirable retention of excess heat or over-production of heat. Hyperthermia is usually the result of an excessively hot environment (heat stroke) or an adverse reaction to drugs. Fever can be differentiated from hyperthermia by the circumstances surrounding it and its response to anti-pyretic medications. [7] [ verification needed ]
In infants, the autonomic nervous system may also activate brown adipose tissue to produce heat (non-shivering thermogenesis). [87]
Increased heart rate and vasoconstriction contribute to increased blood pressure in fever. [88]
A pyrogen is a substance that induces fever. [89] In the presence of an infectious agent, such as bacteria, viruses, viroids, etc., the immune response of the body is to inhibit their growth and eliminate them. The most common pyrogens are endotoxins, which are lipopolysaccharides (LPS) produced by Gram-negative bacteria such as E. coli. But pyrogens include non-endotoxic substances (derived from microorganisms other than gram-negative-bacteria or from chemical substances) as well. [90] The types of pyrogens include internal (endogenous) and external (exogenous) to the body. [91]
The "pyrogenicity" of given pyrogens varies: in extreme cases, bacterial pyrogens can act as superantigens and cause rapid and dangerous fevers. [92]
Endogenous pyrogens are cytokines released from monocytes (which are part of the immune system). [93] In general, they stimulate chemical responses, often in the presence of an antigen, leading to a fever. Whilst they can be a product of external factors like exogenous pyrogens, they can also be induced by internal factors like damage associated molecular patterns such as cases like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. [94]
Major endogenous pyrogens are interleukin 1 (α and β) [95] : 1237–1248 and interleukin 6 (IL-6). [96] Minor endogenous pyrogens include interleukin-8, tumor necrosis factor-β, macrophage inflammatory protein-α and macrophage inflammatory protein-β as well as interferon-α, interferon-β, and interferon-γ. [95] : 1237–1248 Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF) also acts as a pyrogen, mediated by interleukin 1 (IL-1) release. [97] These cytokine factors are released into general circulation, where they migrate to the brain's circumventricular organs where they are more easily absorbed than in areas protected by the blood–brain barrier. [98] The cytokines then bind to endothelial receptors on vessel walls to receptors on microglial cells, resulting in activation of the arachidonic acid pathway. [99]
Of these, IL-1β, TNF, and IL-6 are able to raise the temperature setpoint of an organism and cause fever. These proteins produce a cyclooxygenase which induces the hypothalamic production of PGE2 which then stimulates the release of neurotransmitters such as cyclic adenosine monophosphate and increases body temperature. [100]
Exogenous pyrogens are external to the body and are of microbial origin. In general, these pyrogens, including bacterial cell wall products, may act on Toll-like receptors in the hypothalamus and elevate the thermoregulatory setpoint. [101]
An example of a class of exogenous pyrogens are bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) present in the cell wall of gram-negative bacteria. According to one mechanism of pyrogen action, an immune system protein, lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP), binds to LPS, and the LBP–LPS complex then binds to a CD14 receptor on a macrophage. The LBP-LPS binding to CD14 results in cellular synthesis and release of various endogenous cytokines, e.g., interleukin 1 (IL-1), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα). A further downstream event is activation of the arachidonic acid pathway. [102]
PGE2 release comes from the arachidonic acid pathway. This pathway (as it relates to fever), is mediated by the enzymes phospholipase A2 (PLA2), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and prostaglandin E2 synthase. These enzymes ultimately mediate the synthesis and release of PGE2.[ citation needed ]
PGE2 is the ultimate mediator of the febrile response. The setpoint temperature of the body will remain elevated until PGE2 is no longer present. PGE2 acts on neurons in the preoptic area (POA) through the prostaglandin E receptor 3 (EP3). EP3-expressing neurons in the POA innervate the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH), the rostral raphe pallidus nucleus in the medulla oblongata (rRPa), and the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus. Fever signals sent to the DMH and rRPa lead to stimulation of the sympathetic output system, which evokes non-shivering thermogenesis to produce body heat and skin vasoconstriction to decrease heat loss from the body surface. It is presumed that the innervation from the POA to the PVN mediates the neuroendocrine effects of fever through the pathway involving pituitary gland and various endocrine organs.[ citation needed ]
Fever does not necessarily need to be treated, [103] and most people with a fever recover without specific medical attention. [104] Although it is unpleasant, fever rarely rises to a dangerous level even if untreated. [105] Damage to the brain generally does not occur until temperatures reach 42.0 °C (107.6 °F), and it is rare for an untreated fever to exceed 40.6 °C (105.1 °F). [106] Treating fever in people with sepsis does not affect outcomes. [107] Small trials have shown no benefit of treating fevers of 38.5 °C (101.3 °F) or higher of critically ill patients in ICUs, and one trial was terminated early because patients receiving aggressive fever treatment were dying more often. [19]
According to the NIH, the two assumptions which are generally used to argue in favor of treating fevers have not been experimentally validated. These are that (1) a fever is noxious, and (2) suppression of a fever will reduce its noxious effect. Most of the other studies supporting the association of fever with poorer outcomes have been observational in nature. In theory, these critically ill patients and those faced with additional physiologic stress may benefit from fever reduction, but the evidence on both sides of the argument appears to be mostly equivocal. [19]
Limited evidence supports sponging or bathing feverish children with tepid water. [108] The use of a fan or air conditioning may somewhat reduce the temperature and increase comfort. If the temperature reaches the extremely high level of hyperpyrexia, aggressive cooling is required (generally produced mechanically via conduction by applying numerous ice packs across most of the body or direct submersion in ice water). [61] In general, people are advised to keep adequately hydrated. [109] Whether increased fluid intake improves symptoms or shortens respiratory illnesses such as the common cold is not known. [110]
Medications that lower fevers are called antipyretics . [111] The antipyretic ibuprofen is effective in reducing fevers in children. [112] It is more effective than acetaminophen (paracetamol) in children. [112] Ibuprofen and acetaminophen may be safely used together in children with fevers. [113] [114] The efficacy of acetaminophen by itself in children with fevers has been questioned. [115] Ibuprofen is also superior to aspirin in children with fevers. [116] Additionally, aspirin is not recommended in children and young adults (those under the age of 16 or 19 depending on the country) due to the risk of Reye's syndrome. [117]
Using both paracetamol and ibuprofen at the same time or alternating between the two is more effective at decreasing fever than using only paracetamol or ibuprofen. [118] It is not clear if it increases child comfort. [118] Response or nonresponse to medications does not predict whether or not a child has a serious illness. [119]
With respect to the effect of antipyretics on the risk of death in those with infection, studies have found mixed results, as of 2019. [120]
Fever is one of the most common medical signs. [2] It is part of about 30% of healthcare visits by children, [2] and occurs in up to 75% of adults who are seriously sick. [11] About 5% of people who go to an emergency room have a fever. [121]
A number of types of fever were known as early as 460 BC to 370 BC when Hippocrates was practicing medicine including that due to malaria (tertian or every 2 days and quartan or every 3 days). [122] It also became clear around this time that fever was a symptom of disease rather than a disease in and of itself. [122]
Infections presenting with fever were a major source of mortality in humans for about 200,000 years. Until the late nineteenth century, approximately half of all humans died from infections before the age of fifteen. [123]
An older term, febricula (a diminutive form of the Latin word for fever), was once used to refer to a low-grade fever lasting only a few days. This term fell out of use in the early 20th century, and the symptoms it referred to are now thought to have been caused mainly by various minor viral respiratory infections. [124]
Fever is often viewed with greater concern by parents and healthcare professionals than might be deserved, a phenomenon known as fever phobia, [2] [126] which is based in both caregiver's and parents' misconceptions about fever in children. Among them, many parents incorrectly believe that fever is a disease rather than a medical sign, that even low fevers are harmful, and that any temperature even briefly or slightly above the oversimplified "normal" number marked on a thermometer is a clinically significant fever. [126] They are also afraid of harmless side effects like febrile seizures and dramatically overestimate the likelihood of permanent damage from typical fevers. [126] The underlying problem, according to professor of pediatrics Barton D. Schmitt, is that "as parents we tend to suspect that our children's brains may melt." [127] As a result of these misconceptions parents are anxious, give the child fever-reducing medicine when the temperature is technically normal or only slightly elevated, and interfere with the child's sleep to give the child more medicine. [126]
Fever is an important metric for the diagnosis of disease in domestic animals. The body temperature of animals, which is taken rectally, is different from one species to another. For example, a horse is said to have a fever above 101 °F (38.3 °C). [128] In species that allow the body to have a wide range of "normal" temperatures, such as camels, [129] whose body temperature varies as the environmental temperature varies, [130] the body temperature which constitutes a febrile state differs depending on the environmental temperature. [131] Fever can also be behaviorally induced by invertebrates that do not have immune-system based fever. For instance, some species of grasshopper will thermoregulate to achieve body temperatures that are 2–5 °C higher than normal in order to inhibit the growth of fungal pathogens such as Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium acridum . [132] Honeybee colonies are also able to induce a fever in response to a fungal parasite Ascosphaera apis. [132]
An antipyretic is a substance that reduces fever. Antipyretics cause the hypothalamus to override a prostaglandin-induced increase in temperature. The body then works to lower the temperature, which results in a reduction in fever.
A convulsion is a medical condition where the body muscles contract and relax rapidly and repeatedly, resulting in uncontrolled shaking. Because epileptic seizures typically include convulsions, the term convulsion is often used as a synonym for seizure. However, not all epileptic seizures result in convulsions, and not all convulsions are caused by epileptic seizures. Non-epileptic convulsions have no relation with epilepsy, and are caused by non-epileptic seizures.
Hyperthermia, also known simply as overheating, is a condition in which an individual's body temperature is elevated beyond normal due to failed thermoregulation. The person's body produces or absorbs more heat than it dissipates. When extreme temperature elevation occurs, it becomes a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment to prevent disability or death. Almost half a million deaths are recorded every year from hyperthermia.
Perspiration, also known as sweat, is the fluid secreted by sweat glands in the skin of mammals.
Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is a non-opioid analgesic and antipyretic agent used to treat fever and mild to moderate pain. It is a widely used over-the-counter medication. Common brand names include Tylenol and Panadol.
A febrile seizure, also known as a fever fit or febrile convulsion, is a seizure associated with a high body temperature but without any serious underlying health issue. They most commonly occur in children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years. Most seizures are less than five minutes in duration, and the child is completely back to normal within an hour of the event. There are two types: simple febrile seizures and complex febrile seizures. Simple febrile seizures involve an otherwise healthy child who has at most one tonic-clonic seizure lasting less than 15 minutes in a 24-hour period. Complex febrile seizures have focal symptoms, last longer than 15 minutes, or occur more than once within 24 hours. About 80% are classified as simple febrile seizures.
Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is used to relieve pain, fever, and inflammation. This includes painful menstrual periods, migraines, and rheumatoid arthritis. It may also be used to close a patent ductus arteriosus in a premature baby. It can be taken orally or intravenously. It typically begins working within an hour.
Pharyngitis is inflammation of the back of the throat, known as the pharynx. It typically results in a sore throat and fever. Other symptoms may include a runny nose, cough, headache, difficulty swallowing, swollen lymph nodes, and a hoarse voice. Symptoms usually last 3–5 days, but can be longer depending on cause. Complications can include sinusitis and acute otitis media. Pharyngitis is a type of upper respiratory tract infection.
Roseola, also known as sixth disease, is an infectious disease caused by certain types of human herpes viruses. Most infections occur before the age of three. Symptoms vary from absent to the classic presentation of a fever of rapid onset followed by a rash. The fever generally lasts for three to five days, while the rash is generally pink and lasts for less than three days. Complications may include febrile seizures, with serious complications being rare.
Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are infections of blood caused by blood-borne pathogens. The detection of microbes in the blood is always abnormal. A bloodstream infection is different from sepsis, which is characterized by severe inflammatory or immune responses of the host organism to pathogens.
Drug-induced fever is a symptom of an adverse drug reaction wherein the administration of drugs intended to help a patient causes a hypermetabolic state resulting in fever. The drug may interfere with heat dissipation peripherally, increase the rate of metabolism, evoke a cellular or humoral immune response, mimic endogenous pyrogen, or damage tissues.
Chemokine ligand 3 (CCL3) also known as macrophage inflammatory protein 1-alpha (MIP-1-alpha) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CCL3 gene.
Normal human body temperature is the typical temperature range found in humans. The normal human body temperature range is typically stated as 36.5–37.5 °C (97.7–99.5 °F).
Bartonella quintana, originally known as Rochalimaea quintana, and "Rickettsia quintana", is a bacterium transmitted by the human body louse that causes trench fever. This bacterial species caused outbreaks of trench fever affecting 1 million soldiers in Europe during World War I.
Prostaglandin EP3 receptor (EP3, 53kDa), is a prostaglandin receptor for prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) encoded by the human gene PTGER3; it is one of four identified EP receptors, the others being EP1, EP2, and EP4, all of which bind with and mediate cellular responses to PGE2 and also, but generally with lesser affinity and responsiveness, certain other prostanoids (see Prostaglandin receptors). EP has been implicated in various physiological and pathological responses.
Hyperthermia therapy(or hyperthermia, or thermotherapy) is a type of medical treatment in which body tissue is exposed to temperatures above body temperature, in the region of 40–45 °C (104–113 °F). Hyperthermia is usually applied as an adjuvant to radiotherapy or chemotherapy, to which it works as a sensitizer, in an effort to treat cancer.
Deployment cost–benefit selection in physiology concerns the costs and benefits of physiological process that can be deployed and selected in regard to whether they will increase or not an animal’s survival and biological fitness. Variably deployable physiological processes relate mostly to processes that defend or clear infections as these are optional while also having high costs and circumstance linked benefits. They include immune system responses, fever, antioxidants and the plasma level of iron. Notable determining factors are life history stage, and resource availability.
Continuous fever is a type or pattern of fever in which temperature does not touch the baseline and remains above normal throughout the day. The variation between maximum and minimum temperature in 24 hours is less than 1°C (1.5°F). It usually occurs due to some infectious disease. Diagnosis of continuous fever is usually based on the clinical signs and symptoms but some biological tests, chest X-ray and CT scan are also used. Typhoid fever is an example of continuous fever and it shows a characteristic step-ladder pattern, a step-wise increase in temperature with a high plateau.
Intermittent fever is a type or pattern of fever in which there is an interval where temperature is elevated for several hours followed by an interval when temperature drops back to normal. This type of fever usually occurs during the course of an infectious disease. Diagnosis of intermittent fever is frequently based on the clinical history but some biological tests like complete blood count and blood culture are also used. In addition radiological investigations like chest X-ray, abdominal ultrasonography can also be used in establishing diagnosis.
Remittent fever is a type or pattern of fever in which temperature does not touch the baseline and remains above normal throughout the day. Daily variation in temperature is more than 1°C in 24 hours, which is also the main difference as compared to continuous fever. Fever due to most infectious diseases is remittent. Diagnosis is based upon clinical history, blood tests, blood culture and chest X-ray.
Body temperature is maintained within the range 36.5-37.5 °C. It is lowest in the early morning and highest in the afternoon.
Dantrolene may also be associated with improved survival and reduced complications, especially in patients with extreme (≥ 42 °C) or severe (≥ 40 °C) hyperpyrexia
Despite the myriad of complications associated with heat illness, an elevation of core temperature above 41.0 °C (often referred to as fever or hyperpyrexia) is the most widely recognized symptom of this syndrome.
Dantrolene may also be associated with improved survival and reduced complications, especially in patients with extreme (≥ 42 °C) or severe (≥ 40 °C) hyperpyrexia
Despite the myriad of complications associated with heat illness, an elevation of core temperature above 41.0 °C (often referred to as fever or hyperpyrexia) is the most widely recognized symptom of this syndrome.
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