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Disorders of temperature regulation
1Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06519, USA.
Comprehensive Therapy
|December 1, 1995
Summary
Human thermoregulation is effective but can be overwhelmed. Extreme temperatures or exercise can cause dangerous body temperature changes like hypothermia or hyperthermia.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Humans possess a sophisticated thermoregulatory system.
- This system maintains core body temperature across diverse thermal conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the effectiveness of human thermoregulation.
- To identify conditions that can challenge thermoregulatory defenses.
Main Methods:
- Review of physiological mechanisms of thermoregulation.
- Analysis of environmental and exercise-induced thermal stress.
Main Results:
- Human thermoregulation is highly efficient under normal circumstances.
- Extreme cold, heat, and exhaustive exercise can exceed the body's regulatory capacity.
Conclusions:
- While robust, human thermoregulation has limits.
- Failure to maintain thermal homeostasis can result in hypothermia or hyperthermia.