title: Cooling hyperthermic and hyperpyrexic patients in intensive care.
abstract: It is important for the Critical Care Nurse to respond quickly and appropriately to a rise in body temperature in a critically ill patient. A high temperature can impair both external and internal respiration, thus reducing oxygenation, cardiac output, lowering blood pressure and stimulating vasoconstriction. Accurate nursing assessment determines the appropriate cooling intervention. Hyperthermia involves a dysfunction of thermoregularity responses and responds best to physical cooling methods. Hyperpyrexia involves normal thermoregularity responses responding at a higher level. Hyperpyrexia responds best to central cooling interventions such as antipyretic therapy. Tepid sponging and ice cool packs are not recommended as they induce shivering and vasoconstriction. The need for more comprehensive research studies into cooling those receiving intensive care is needed.
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, Frenchay NHS Trust, Bristol.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shackell
mesh_terms: D001494:Baths; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods*; D017679:Cryotherapy / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing*; D005334:Fever / Q000451:nursing*; D006801:Humans; D007053:Ice; D009730:Nursing Assessment
chemical_list: D007053:Ice