title: [Therapeutic hypothermia: effects beyond neuroprotection].
abstract: In the past 10 years there have been major advances in the treatment of cardiac arrest by the application of therapeutic hypothermia (TH). TH is a safe treatment option, providing the physiological effects are taken into consideration and providing the potential pitfalls of application of hypothermia are avoided. TH (32-34°C) is just as safe and effective as cooling to 36°C ('near-normal temperature'). The benefit of TH is thus probably derived from the effective suppression of fever. The broad spectrum of pathophysiological mechanisms by which therapeutic hypothermia exerts its effect on organism in a hypoxic situation suggests a potential wider role for this therapy than in current daily clinical practice. Cardiogenic shock is no longer regarded as a contraindication for TH; in the past few years the safety and effectiveness of this treatment have been proven in patients with cardiogenic shock. In fact, the anti-ischaemic and positive inotropic effects of TH suggest that this treatment could be a potential treatment specifically for patients with cardiogenic shock.
authors.affiliation: Universitaire Ziekenhuizen Leuven, afd. Hart- en vaatziekten, Leuven, België.
authors.forename: Pieter-Jan
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Palmers
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ameloot
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hiltrop
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Timmermans
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ferdinande
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sinnaeve
mesh_terms: D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D012770:Shock, Cardiogenic / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome