Definition
Hyperpyrexia consists in raising the body temperature above 39-40 ° C.
Furthermore, sometimes, hyperpyrexia can constitute an adverse effect due to the use of drugs; this is the case, for example, of malignant hyperthermia, an increase in body temperature that can occur in sensitive individuals following the administration of certain types of anesthetic drugs.
Causes
As mentioned, hyperpyrexia is a symptom and not a disease in itself.
The causes of hyperpiressia can be multiple; among these, we recall:
- Bacterial or viral infections;
- parasitosis;
- Abscesses;
- Autoimmune disorders;
- tumors;
- Neurological disorders;
- Diseases of the respiratory system;
- Kidney stones, liver or gall bladder;
- Heat stroke;
- Encephalitis;
- Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E;
- gastroenteritis;
- Gout;
- Inflammatory pathologies of various origins and nature;
- Adverse drug reactions.
Associated symptoms
Although hyperpiressia cannot be considered a real pathology, it is often - regardless of the cause that caused it - accompanied by symptoms, such as:
- Pallor;
- Excessive sweating;
- Chills;
- Headache;
- Fatigue and muscle weakness;
- Confusion and delirium;
- General feeling of malaise.
Furthermore, in some cases and in particular in children, hyperpyrexia can cause the onset of so-called febrile convulsions.
drugs
Hyperpiressia, although not a disease, is a debilitating symptom that can also lead to serious consequences (convulsions). For this reason, it is essential to identify the cause and take appropriate treatment as soon as possible.
In addition to this, the treatment of hyperpyrexia consists substantially in the administration of drugs with antipyretic action.
These drugs will be briefly described below.
Analgesics-antipyretics
Paracetamol or acetaminophen (Tachipirina®, Efferalgan®, Actigrip®) belongs to this class of drugs.
This active ingredient has a marked antipyretic action and, at the same time, is also able to perform an analgesic type activity. Not surprisingly, paracetamol is the drug of choice used in the treatment of hyperpyrexia and fever in general.
It is considered a safe drug, so that, at appropriate doses, it can also be used in early childhood. However, this active ingredient should be used with extreme caution in patients suffering from liver disorders.
The mechanism of action by which paracetamol carries out its antipyretic action appears to be related to the inhibition of COX-3, one of the isoforms of the cyclooxygenase enzyme.
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)
NSAIDs are active ingredients with analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activity.
They perform their activity through the inhibition of the cyclooxygenase enzyme (responsible for the synthesis of prostaglandins responsible for raising body temperature and mediating pain responses and inflammatory processes).
The most widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as antipyretics are ibuprofen (Moment®, Vicks fever and pain®, Brufen®, Actigrip fever and pain®), ketoprofen (Oki®, Orudis®), flurbiprofen (Froben®) and acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin®, Aspirin C®, Vivin C®).
Among the main side effects that can occur following the use of NSAIDs are: nausea, vomiting, ulceration and / or gastrointestinal perforation, diarrhea or constipation.
In any case, NSAIDs are not considered to be drugs of first choice in the treatment of fever and hyperpyrexia. Their use, in fact, is generally reserved for those cases in which paracetamol cannot be used.
Also read: High fever: What to do?
Non-Pharmacological Treatment
Since this is a significant increase in body temperature, which can also lead to serious consequences, hyperpyrexia must be treated with appropriate medicines.
However, there are some physical, non-pharmacological means that can be used in combination with drugs to help lower body temperature.
The non-pharmacological treatment of hyperpyrexia with physical means generally consists of performing sponging or bathing with slightly warm water, so as to favor the dispersion of excessive heat.
However, in the case of hyperpraxia - given the importance of this symptom - it is always good to contact your doctor, who will identify the root cause and set up the most appropriate therapy to treat it.
