Hyperthermia during anaesthesia and intensive care unit stay.
Nosocomial hyperthermia (fever) occurs in about 30% of all medical patients at some time during their hospital stay. In patients admitted to the intensive care unit with severe sepsis the incidence of hyperthermia is greater than 90%, while in a specialized neurological critical care unit the incidence is reported as 47%. In contrast, hyperthermia during anaesthesia is rare owing to the impairment of thermoregulation by anaesthetic agents. This article is designed to give an overview on the various causes of hyperthermia with special emphasis on fever during general and regional anaesthesia in general and neurological critical care patients.
Lenhardt
Rainer
R
Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine and Outcomes Research Consortium, University of Louisville, 530 S. Jackson St. Louisville, KY 40202, USA. rainer.lenhardt@louisville.edu
Grady
Martin
M
Kurz
Andrea
A
D000758:Anesthesia / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016638:Critical Illness; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'