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In humans, hyperthermia is defined as a temperature greater than 37.5–38.3 °C (99.5–100.9 °F), depending on the reference used, that occurs without a change in the body's temperature set point. [3] [10] The normal human body temperature can be as high as 37.7 °C (99.9 °F) in the late afternoon. [2]
A common pathological cause for a high BMR is fever, since a rise in body temperature increases the rate of cellular metabolic reactions. [1] It is estimated that for every degree Fahrenheit of rise in body temperature, the BMR increases by 7 percent.
An early morning temperature higher than 37.3 °C (99.1 °F) or a late afternoon temperature higher than 37.7 °C (99.9 °F) is normally considered a fever, assuming that the temperature is elevated due to a change in the hypothalamus's setpoint. [15] Lower thresholds are sometimes appropriate for elderly people. [15]
Most have a normal body temperature set point that falls within the range of 36.0 to 37.5 °C (96.8 to 99.5 °F). [13] The main reason for checking body temperature is to solicit any signs of systemic infection or inflammation in the presence of a fever. Fever is considered temperature of 37.8 °C (100.0 °F) or above. [13]
On the other hand, a "normal" temperature may be a fever, if it is unusually high for that person; for example, medically frail elderly people have a decreased ability to generate body heat, so a "normal" temperature of 37.3 °C (99.1 °F) may represent a clinically significant fever.
Thermoregulation is the ability of an organism to keep its body temperature within certain boundaries, even when the surrounding temperature is very different. A thermoconforming organism, by contrast, simply adopts the surrounding temperature as its own body temperature, thus avoiding the need for internal thermoregulation.
Pulse pressure is calculated as the difference between the systolic blood pressure and the diastolic blood pressure. [3] [4]The systemic pulse pressure is approximately proportional to stroke volume, or the amount of blood ejected from the left ventricle during systole (pump action) and inversely proportional to the compliance (similar to elasticity) of the aorta.
For most adults, normal blood pressure at rest is within the range of 100–140 millimeters mercury (mmHg) systolic and 60–90 mmHg diastolic. [6] [7] For most adults, high blood pressure is present if the resting blood pressure is persistently at or above 130/80 or 140/90 mmHg. [5] [6] [7] Different numbers apply to children. [14]