Elevated temp and dehydration

Specialties Home Health

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Specializes in Hospice/Mental Health/LTC/Home Health.

Somewhere along my nursing career I heard a sign of dehydration can be an elevated temperature. I can not find any literature to support this. Has anyone else heard this? Any input? Is it a symptom or could dehydration cause an elevated temp? Thanks!

I've always thought an elevated temp. "causes" dehydration not the other way around. that's why they say to push fluids when you have a temp. so you don't become dehydrated.

Specializes in Hospice, home health, LTC.

I agree with RN1263 - the elevated temp is a cause for dehydration as the body tries to cool itself. Keep fluids flowing!

Specializes in Hospice/Mental Health/LTC/Home Health.

OK Thanks so much guys! Makes sense now!

Specializes in Home Health,CCM.

A slightly elevated temp can be an early symptom of dehydration -

I remember this from nursing school....but have also seen it many times in the field.

I too have noticed a slightly elevated temp when a pt is dehydrated. Usually around 99

Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

I think that we can correctly list fever as both a cause and a symptom of dehydration.

Seems to me I heard the same thing. Something to look for.

High temp can dry you out, so to speak, but I think the answer you are looking for as to how dehydration can cause a fever has to do with the fact that when you are very dehydrated, you lose the ability to sweat. Sweating is a mechanism for how the body cools itself when conditions are too hot...it can't do that, so your temperature rises.

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