Overheating (Hyperthermia): Drug Therapy

Therapeutic target

• Reduction of body temperature

Therapy recommendations

• Classical fever: see below Fever.
• For sunstroke: stay in a cool place and cooling by cool packs, etc. is usually sufficient.
• Application of cool infusions
  • In heat exhaustion or heat collapse – physiological saline solution.
• For heat stroke:
  • Anticonvulsants (anticonvulsants) and mannitol infusion/osmosteril 20%.
  • Oxygen administration
  • If necessary, ice water enemas
• Exercise-induced hyperthermia → admission to the internal medicine intensive care unit:
  • Cooling measures were applied in a combined “internal/external setting” with cold infusions as well as an external cooling system (cooling accumulators)
  • Measures to preserve vital functions – see below shock, liver failure, adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), renal failure etc.
• Malignant hyperthermia → admission to the internal medicine intensive care unit:
  • Immediate discontinuation of trigger substances.
  • Flushing of the ventilation system at maximum fresh gas flow with pure oxygen.
  • CO2 absorber volume increase (respiratory lime) to the maximum possible.
  • Administration of dantrolene i. v. (muscle relaxant derivative as first-line agent to break calcium dysregulation).
  • Cooling; volume substitution; compensation of acidosis (hyperacidity); measures to prevent crush kidney.