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Management of fever in the ICU
What are the workup and management of fever in the ICU?
Fever is defined as a core temperature above 38.3° C. Fever has been associated with worse neurologic outcome in brain injury patients.
Ventilator-associated pneumonia, catheter-related sepsis, and sinusitis are the three major causes of ICU fever of recent onset.
Antipyretic agents (acetaminophen alone or in combination with ibuprofen for central fever) are the first line of therapy. Surface cooling devices are more effective and should be used if drug therapy fails.
Antishivering medications may be used as needed
Sources
From Dimopoulos G, Falagas ME: Approach to the febrile patient in the ICU. Infect Dis Clin North Am 23(3):471-484, 2009.
