Difference between Drug-induced Fever and Fever

Fever, a prevalent phenomenon, stems from diverse causes like colds, pneumonia, and other illnesses. It's crucial to address fever promptly by seeking medical attention to determine its underlying cause and implement appropriate treatment. Occasionally, individuals may experience fever subsequent to medication intake. However, many struggle to differentiate between drug-induced fever and regular fever. Let's delve into their distinctions.

1. Differences Between Drug-induced Fever and Fever

Drug-induced fever and regular fever are distinct entities. Regular fever encompasses any elevation in body temperature irrespective of the cause. Conversely, drug-induced fever specifically refers to fever triggered by medication use, excluding other sources. Regular fever encompasses a broader spectrum, with an unclear etiology, whereas drug-induced fever has a clearer cause. Clinically, identifying drug-induced fever often follows exclusion of other factors and observing temperature normalization upon medication discontinuation.

2. What is Fever?

Fever represents a pathological increase in body temperature, instigated by pyrogens that elevate the temperature set point in the hypothalamus's thermoregulatory center. It's a prevalent clinical symptom indicative of disease progression, observed across infectious and non-infectious conditions.

3. Daily Nursing Care

1. Assess and comprehend the patient's condition, treatment, psychological state, and fever knowledge.

2. Closely monitor body temperature.

3. Observe vital signs like blood pressure, pulse, respiration, consciousness, and symptoms such as hyperthermic seizures and arrhythmia.

4. Monitor electrolyte and acid-base balance, fluid balance, hidden skin dehydration, skin color, and temperature.

5. Adjust the environment: regulate room temperature, ensure ventilation, and use fans to enhance air circulation.

6. Encourage bed rest for high fever patients and guided activity for low fever patients based on their condition, assisting in finding a comfortable position.

7. Apply ice packs wrapped in towels to the head, groin, or armpits for high fever patients. Offer warm water baths or topical ethanol as needed. Monitor cooling rate, skin condition, and vital sign changes when using cooling blankets.

8. Promote fluid intake: encourage small, frequent meals aiming for approximately 3000ml daily. Administer intravenous fluids if necessary.

9. Administer antipyretics judiciously, monitoring dosage and fluid replenishment to prevent dehydration or shock from excessive sweating.

10. Prescribe medication based on the fever's cause, controlling infections as directed.

11. Maintain oral hygiene, especially for critically ill and bedridden patients, observing systemic symptoms and blood test results post-treatment.

12. Monitor skin health: check color, temperature, promptly wipe sweat, change clothes and bedsheets, and assist bedridden patients in turning regularly to prevent pressure sores.

13. Ensure safety nursing: monitor for hyperthermic seizures, agitation, delirium, preventing falls and tongue bites, using bed rails and restraint belts as needed. Observe cooling effectiveness, preventing hypothermia.

14. Administer oxygen inhalation based on patient condition.

15. Maintain accurate records.