Thermoregulation and Exemplars Flashcards

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering fundamental thermoregulation concepts, temperature definitions, cold and heat exposure exemplars, pediatric fever, and malignant hyperthermia.

Thermoregulation

The process that balances heat production and heat loss to keep core temperature within an optimal physiologic range.

Core Temperature

The temperature of deep tissues and organs, which is most critical to life and more stable than surface temperature.

Surface Temperature

The temperature of skin and subcutaneous tissue, which fluctuates with environment and perfusion.

Normothermia

A normal body temperature range of about $36.2\,^{\circ}\text{C} - 37.6\,^{\circ}\text{C}$ ($97\,^{\circ}\text{F} - 100\,^{\circ}\text{F}$).

Hypothermia

A core body temperature level below $36.2\,^{\circ}\text{C}$ (below $97\,^{\circ}\text{F}$).

Hyperthermia

A core body temperature level above $37.6\,^{\circ}\text{C}$ (above $100\,^{\circ}\text{F}$).

Hyperpyrexia

An extreme elevation in body temperature greater than $41.5\,^{\circ}\text{C}$ (greater than $106\,^{\circ}\text{F}$).

Fever

An elevated body temperature resulting from a set-point change in the hypothalamus caused by pyrogens, infection, or inflammation.

Mild Hypothermia

A core body temperature range of $93\,^{\circ}\text{F} - 95\,^{\circ}\text{F}$ ($33.9\,^{\circ}\text{C} - 35\,^{\circ}\text{C}$) characterized by shivering, lethargy, confusion, irrational behavior, and minor heart rate changes.

Moderate Hypothermia

A core body temperature range of $86\,^{\circ}\text{F} - 93\,^{\circ}\text{F}$ ($30\,^{\circ}\text{C} - 33.9\,^{\circ}\text{C}$) characterized by rigidity, bradycardia, bradypnea, blood pressure detectable only by Doppler, and disappearance of shivering near $86\,^{\circ}\text{F}$.

Severe Hypothermia

A core body temperature below $86\,^{\circ}\text{F}$ ($< 30\,^{\circ}\text{C}$) characterized by an appearance of death, absent reflexes, fixed/dilated pupils, and high risk for refractory ventricular fibrillation or PEA.

Afterdrop

A rewarming complication of hypothermia in which core body temperature continues to fall even after rewarming interventions have begun.

Superficial Frostbite

A localized cold tissue injury where skin appears waxy and pale yellow to blue or mottled, feels crunchy or frozen, and develops blistering within hours.

Frostbite Rewarming Protocol

Intervention involving immersion of frostbitten tissue in circulating water heated to $98.6\,^{\circ}\text{F} - 104\,^{\circ}\text{F}$ ($37\,^{\circ}\text{C} - 40\,^{\circ}\text{C}$), strictly avoiding rubbing or massaging the affected area.

Heat Exhaustion

A volume-depleted condition resulting from prolonged heat exposure, presenting with temp $99.6\,^{\circ}\text{F} - 105.8\,^{\circ}\text{F}$ ($37.5\,^{\circ}\text{C} - 41\,^{\circ}\text{C}$), profuse diaphoresis, fatigue, nausea, anxiety, hypotension, and tachycardia.

Heat Stroke

A life-threatening medical emergency caused by failure of thermoregulation, characterized by core temperature $> 105\,^{\circ}\text{F}$, altered mental status (confusion to coma), hypotension, tachycardia, and risk for cerebral edema.

Malignant Hyperthermia

A rare, autosomal dominant inherited hypermetabolic disorder of skeletal muscle caused by altered intracellular calcium control in response to triggering agents in the operating room.

Succinylcholine (Anectine)

A neuromuscular blocker that acts as the primary pharmacologic trigger for Malignant Hyperthermia, especially when administered alongside volatile inhalation agents.

Dantrolene

The definitive medication treatment for Malignant Hyperthermia that slows metabolism, reduces muscle contraction, and mediates catabolic processes.