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Hypothermia > Drug Therapy Author: Dmitri Guvakov, MD, PhD; Stuart Weiss, MD, PhD; Albert Cheung, MD
Module updated - 2011-03-28
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Rationale:

  • Empiric use of antibiotics may be warranted, because many symptoms and signs of infection (including leukocytosis and fever) are markedly attenuated in hypothermia.
  • Hypothermia decreases the protective airway reflexes, thus rendering patients at increased risk for pneumonia.
  • Many hypothermic patients have systemic sepsis as a primary clinical condition.
  • Risk for infection is increased when invasive techniques of rewarming are implemented.

Evidence:

  • There is no consensus for the use of empiric antibiotic therapy for hypothermic patients; the decision should be based on clinical presentation. Hypothermic patients often have a decreased immune response and manifest systemic infections during their hospitalization. Broad-spectrum antibacterial therapy may be initiated pending culture results (111; 164; 174; 175; 176; 177).

Comments:

  • Consider the diagnosis of sepsis if there are signs of lowered systemic vascular resistance and increased cardiac index.
FAQs
Albert Cheung, MD has no financial relationships with pharmaceutical companies, biomedical device manufacturers, or health-care related organizations. Dmitri Guvakov, MD, PhD has no financial relationships with pharmaceutical companies, biomedical device manufacturers, or health-care related organizations. Stuart Weiss, MD, PhD has no financial relationships with pharmaceutical companies, biomedical device manufacturers, or health-care related organizations. Wenjun Martini, PhD, editorial consultant, has no financial relationships with pharmaceutical companies, biomedical device manufacturers, or health-care related organizations.
Deborah Korenstein, MD, FACP, Co-Editor, PIER, has no financial relationships with pharmaceutical companies, biomedical device manufacturers, or health-care related organizations. Richard B. Lynn, MD, FACP, Co-Editor, PIER, has no financial relationships with pharmaceutical companies, biomedical device manufacturers, or health-care related organizations.

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