How does inspirometry lower temp?

[Bruce_Wayne, ASN, RN]

I don't fully understand how using an IS can lower temp, but it does and fast.

There was a pt that had an oral temp of 100F and the nurse had him sit up and do 10 IS. Waited a few minutes and then rechecked temp 98.8. The pt did not chew ice or drink water. That's a big difference in temp.

But I don't understand how it works r/t temp. I have an idea of how it can loosen or dry up secretions but I don't understand how it can lower temp.

Any insight appreciated.

[akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P]

According to some sources that I've just read by doing a search for atelectasis and temperature, I came across this: https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/does-incentive-spirometer-201768-page3.html#post2419117 on our own site here. The exact mechanism appears to not be known, however in rats, apparently certain substances released by macrophages in the lung may be responsible (interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor) for the increase in temp, when they're stressed by low oxygenation, such as in atelectasis. Sounds plausible enough...

[Bruce_Wayne, ASN, RN]

Thanks for the reply.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

ooooh, i like that.

you also breathe through your nose/sinuses to preheat the air you bring in, and to recapture it as you breathe out. doing is, you're bypassing that whole system by breathing through the mouth. if you're moving cooler air past the hot blood in your lungs (cardiac output is 4-5 lpm) you can cool the blood down a degree in ten or fifteen minutes.

of course if you don't take care of whatever caused the fever it'll go right back up in a bit.

that said, back in the bad old days when we did our own rt, many was the cvicu patient whose postop atelectasis and fever went away in eight hours of good nursing care before the residents got out of the or. saved a lot of money on antibiotics, and it was better for the patient anyway. to this day if i hear someone cough in the grocery store or someplace i reflexively say, "good, do it again...":d

[PMFB-RN, RN]

to this day if i hear someone cough in the grocery store or someplace i reflexively say, "good, do it again...":d

*** lol! me too!