Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 9, 2026
07:56
Protocol for Long Duration Whole Body Hyperthermia in Mice
Published on: August 25, 2012
Physiological rationale for suppression of fever.
1Medical Care Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, and Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. Philip.Mackowiak@med.va.gov
Summary
Antipyretic therapy assumes fever is harmful and reducing it helps. However, scientific evidence validating these core assumptions for fever reducers is currently lacking.
Area of Science:
- Medical research
- Pharmacology
- Physiology
Background:
- Antipyretic medications are widely used to reduce fever.
- Clinical practice relies on two key assumptions regarding fever's effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically evaluate the experimental validation of two fundamental assumptions underlying antipyretic therapy.
- To investigate whether fever is inherently harmful and if its suppression mitigates negative effects.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing experimental data and scientific literature.
- Analysis of studies investigating the physiological role and consequences of fever.
Main Results:
- Current scientific literature lacks experimental validation for the assumption that fever is inherently noxious.
- Evidence supporting the claim that fever suppression eliminates harmful effects is also experimentally unverified.
Conclusions:
- The efficacy and rationale of antipyretic therapy require further rigorous experimental investigation.
- Prescribing practices for fever reducers should be informed by validated scientific understanding rather than unproven assumptions.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Increased Body Temperature
A body temperature above 38°C (100.4 °F) is known as fever or pyrexia, and a person with fever is termed 'febrile.' Typically, the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that acts as the body's thermostat, regulates body temperature through a thermoregulatory setpoint. It receives signals from cold and warm thermal receptors throughout the body and adjusts the body's temperature accordingly. Fever occurs when this hypothalamic setpoint is altered, usually in response to an infection or illness.
01:22Methods of reducing fever
The signs and symptoms of fever include hot and dry skin, flushed face, thirst, muscle aches, anorexia, headache, tachycardia, tachypnea, and fatigue. Elevated body temperature is reduced using two methods: pharmacological and nonpharmacological. Proper identification and treatment of the root cause of a fever is of utmost importance.
Pharmacological Methods of Reducing Fever:
Pharmacological Methods of Reducing Fever:
01:25Types of Fever
Fever can be triggered by several factors, including infections, nervous system disorders, certain cancers, blood diseases like leukemia, embolism, thrombosis, heatstroke, dehydration, surgical trauma, crushing injuries, and allergic reactions.
Here are the different types of fever:
Here are the different types of fever:
01:26Patterns of Fever
Before understanding the types and patterns of fever, it is essential to know its phases.
01:26Thermoregulation
The human body has a sophisticated thermoregulation system that employs negative feedback mechanisms to maintain an optimal core temperature. When the core temperature drops, peripheral and central thermoreceptors send signals to the hypothalamus, activating the heat-promoting center. This center triggers several responses aimed at increasing the core temperature. First, vasoconstriction reduces the flow of warm blood from internal organs to the skin so that the heat is not lost from the skin,...
01:19Homeostatic Imbalances in Body Temperature
Hyperthermia occurs when the body's temperature becomes unusually high, often due to heat exposure, intense physical activity, or certain illnesses. This condition can create a dangerous cycle where elevated body temperature increases the metabolic rate, generating more heat and potentially leading to organ failure and brain damage. A severe form of hyperthermia, called heat stroke, can raise body temperature to life-threatening levels. Fever, on the other hand, is a controlled form of...