Specific treatment of hyperthermia depending on the cause (diagnosis).
General measures
- Immediately make an emergency call! (Call number 112)
- Affected person to a shady cool place bring
- Undress person
- Cool with cold towels / cool packs; if necessary, rub skin with alcohol (faster cooling); if necessary, take a shower.
- Limited alcohol consumption (men: max. 25 g alcohol per day; women: max. 12 g alcohol per day).
- Review of permanent medication due topossible effect on the existing disease.
In case of desiccosis (dehydration of the body)
If there is evidence (clinical signs or laboratory values) of exsiccosis (dehydration) or volume deficiency, rehydration (fluid balance) is indicated. Therapeutic procedures include oral (“by mouth“), enteral (“by intestine”), or parenteral (“bypassing the intestine”; e.g., via vein) fluid administration. In cases of mild to moderate exsiccosis, geriatric patients can also be given a subcutaneous infusion (abbreviation: s.c.-Inf., hypodermoclysis). In this case, larger quantities of fluid are administered subcutaneously by means of an indwelling cannula. Suitable sites of application are the lateral abdominal wall, the thighs and the subclavian region (collarbone region). This allows 3 l of volume to be administered in 24 hours. No more than a maximum of 1.5 l per application site should be delivered.
Contraindications to subcutaneous infusion
- Water, electrolyte, and metabolic imbalances in heart failure (cardiac insufficiency) or renal failure.
- Severe dehydration (lack of fluids) or shock in the presence of existing marked edema (water retention) or ascites (abdominal dropsy)
- Need for precise control of fluid balance and need for high perfusion volumes (> 3 liters in 24 hours).
- Blood clotting disorders
