High fever in an adult: treatment with antipyretic tablets

Even a healthy person who tolerates hyperthermia well and is alone at home with a high temperature should bring it down if the thermometer readings are above 39℃.

If the patient has previously experienced convulsions with fever, it is necessary to prevent it from rising to dangerous levels (for some this is 39℃, and for others – 37.5℃).

If the patient loses consciousness, complains of unbearable headache, has chronic diseases of the heart, kidneys and other organs, has had transient ischemic attacks, any elevated temperature must be brought down until the patient's condition improves.

In cases where the temperature rises to 40℃ and above, and it cannot be brought down, if convulsions and fainting begin at any temperature, it is necessary to immediately call an ambulance team.

How and what to use to bring down a high temperature in an adult?

The next question is how to bring down a high temperature in an adult? The most effective in this case will be drugs that have the ability to reduce temperature. Everyone usually has at least one such drug in their home medicine cabinet. They are sold in pharmacies without a prescription and are emergency drugs for hyperthermia of any origin.

Antipyretic drugs for high temperature in adults are selected based on their availability at the moment and the individual tolerance of the patient. Usually, drugs for oral administration are used.

The popular antipyretic Paracetamol is available in capsules and all kinds of tablets – for swallowing, chewing, soluble in water and the oral cavity, soluble powders and ready-made syrup. In addition to antipyretic action, the drug also has an analgesic and moderately anti-inflammatory effect. It inhibits the activity of cyclooxygenases, a group of enzymes that catalyze the production of pyrogens, as well as mediators of pain and inflammation. Paracetamol has virtually no effect on the water-electrolyte balance and, compared to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, does not damage the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, however, it can have a negative effect on liver cells, especially in people suffering from its dysfunction. Contraindicated in patients sensitized to it, patients with impaired renal function, with congenital excess of bilirubin in the blood, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, with low hemoglobin and leukocyte levels. Long-term use in doses exceeding therapeutic ones can cause hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic effects, anemia and other abnormalities in the blood picture. Not recommended for people with liver pathologies of alcoholic genesis.

The recommended dosage for a single dose is 0.5 g, the maximum dose an adult can take at one time is 1 g of paracetamol, four grams per day. The drug is taken after a meal an hour or two later, with plenty of water. The course of treatment should not exceed one week.

Acetylsalicylic acid or Aspirin, which belongs to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, has been the leader among drugs that reduce fever, reduce pain and stop inflammation for more than half a century. Additionally, this medicine thins the blood, preventing thrombus formation. Aspirin is also available in tablets for oral administration, regular (for swallowing) or soluble, in combination forms - with vitamin C.

The action of acetylsalicylic acid is to inactivate the enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of prostaglandins - proinflammatory mediators responsible for an increase in temperature, pain and swelling. If the drug also contains vitamin C, it also has an immunomodulatory effect, and also strengthens blood vessels. It should not be used by patients with a tendency to bleeding, peptic ulcer disease and other inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract. Aspirin can be a good alternative to Paracetamol for patients with liver diseases of any etiology.

May cause allergic reactions, in particular, the so-called aspirin triad. If the recommended doses are exceeded or taken for a long time, it may cause a decrease in the number of platelets in the blood, gastrointestinal bleeding. Regular tablets of 0.5 g are taken one at a time, with plenty of water. You can crush the tablet before taking. The maximum single dose should not be more than two tablets, the daily dose - no more than eight. The drug is taken every four to eight hours.

In soluble tablets, the dosage of acetylsalicylic acid is slightly lower (0.4 g), however, the rules of administration are the same. Soluble forms are considered more gentle for the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract.

Another non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug Ibuprofen has an even more pronounced antipyretic effect than the previous two. Like aspirin, by suppressing the synthesis of prostaglandins, the drug relieves pain and inflammation, additionally providing an antiplatelet effect. With the active substance ibuprofen, complete analogues are produced with the trade name Nurofen.

The active substance has a long list of side effects, so it is used for a short time. It can cause severe allergic reactions up to anaphylaxis. Contraindicated in patients with gastrointestinal diseases with the possibility of hemorrhagic manifestations, severe cardiac, hepatic or renal dysfunction.

A single dose is 0.2 to 0.4 g, and tablets can be taken again after four to six hours. No more than six tablets of 0.2 g can be taken per day. The tablets are swallowed whole with plenty of water.

Analgin is also a very well-known drug that relieves hyperthermia and pain syndrome. It is a cyclooxygenase blocker and reduces prostaglandin synthesis. The active substance (metamizole sodium) belongs to the pyrazolone group of drugs. It has almost no anti-inflammatory effect, but it has a slight antispasmodic effect, acting on the muscles of the digestive tract and urinary organs.

Contraindicated in sensitized patients. Due to the development of agranulocytosis (pathological decrease in immunocompetent blood cells - granulocytes) in some countries it is no longer used. Not recommended for patients with blood diseases, aspirin triad, liver and/or kidney dysfunction.

Take half or a whole tablet twice daily after meals. Swallow the tablet or part of it whole with plenty of water.

When developing "white hyperthermia", when the vessels do not expand, but spasm, and at high temperature readings, you can bring down the temperature with a troychatka. It contains not only an antipyretic, but also an antispasmodic and an antihistamine.

For example, analgin, paracetamol or ibuprofen as an antipyretic; papaverine (preferably, since it works better on peripheral vessels), nikoshpan or no-shpa; antihistamines, preferably first generation - diphenhydramine, pipolfen, diazolin. The composition is dosed according to the instructions for each drug and is used no more often than every eight hours. It is advisable to consult a doctor about the appropriateness of use and dosages before using such a remedy. The use of the trio is a one- or two-time action in extreme conditions.

Injections are also used for high fever in adults. In this case, the drugs enter the bloodstream directly, and the antipyretic effect occurs much faster and more powerfully than from tablets. Indications for injections of antipyretic drugs are thermometer readings exceeding 39.5-40℃, pre-syncope, risk of seizures, diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system, cardiovascular pathologies, ineffectiveness of oral drugs or suppositories, as well as the impossibility of resorting to them (constant vomiting, unconsciousness of the patient, and other reasons).

Injections of ibuprofen and analgin are given intramuscularly, paracetamol is given only intravenously.

The most well-known injection to reduce temperature is a triad or lytic mixture: anesthetic and antipyretic analgin 50% (2 ml), antispasmodic papaverine hydrochloride 2% (2 ml) and sedative antiallergic drug diphenhydramine (1 ml). The solutions are mixed in one syringe and injected into the outer part of the upper gluteal quadrant. It effectively and quickly reduces temperature, however, such antipyretic therapy is recommended to be carried out no more than twice. The second injection, if necessary, can be done no earlier than six hours after the first. During this time, it is necessary to contact a doctor and consult about further actions. It is worth noting that such an injection reduces blood pressure in addition to temperature.

Suppositories at high temperature also allow to provide quite effective help at high temperature in an adult. Considering that the drug does not directly get on the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, and also - in case of problems with swallowing the tablet, the suppository form has a wider range of application.

In case of hyperthermia, suppositories with paracetamol of the same name or produced under other trade names are used, for example, Milistan, Efferalgan. The dosage of the drug in suppositories is the same - 0.5 g from one to four times a day.

Cefekon suppositories are a combination drug containing antipyretics of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug group – salicylamide and naproxen. They suppress the production of prostaglandins and affect the thermoregulation center in the hypothalamus. Caffeine, which is also part of the drug, is a stimulant of metabolic processes in the body's tissues. Such suppositories should not be used if the patient has hypertension, agitation and severe tachycardia.

Viferon suppositories do not have a direct antipyretic effect, however, due to the active substances - α-interferon, ascorbic acid and vitamin E, they stimulate their own immunity to fight infection, have a mild effect, very rarely cause allergies, are allowed for pregnant women, starting from the 14th week, and nursing mothers. Very effective, especially for flu and other viral infections.

Antibiotics for high temperature in adults are used only as prescribed by a doctor after the cause of the disease has been established. Otherwise, taking them is pointless, since they do not have an antipyretic effect, and in case of viral infections or diseases of non-bacterial origin, they can simply cause harm.

How to bring down a fever without pills?

Allergic reactions to medications are the scourge of our time. And if a person has already encountered such a phenomenon, he will avoid a new encounter with medications until the last minute. Therefore, many are interested in how to bring down the temperature with folk remedies.

In folk medicine, rubdowns for high temperatures in adults, wraps in damp, cool (even cold) sheets, cold compresses and ice on the head and other parts of the body have been used since time immemorial.

Such procedures cooled the patient's skin surface for a while and calmed his relatives, who could do nothing else to help. Eventually, the patient's temperature dropped in most cases, of course, not because he was being wiped, but simply because it dropped.

Modern evidence-based medicine, based on WHO recommendations, does not recognize such physiological impact on the body to reduce temperature as rubbing, since when applying cool liquid to the skin, a spasm of peripheral skin vessels occurs, blood flow in them slows down and heat transfer too. The same process occurs as with heat stroke. Sweating and evaporation decrease, which leads to an increase in the temperature of internal organs.

It is especially dangerous to use alcohol, vodka and vinegar when rubbing down a person with a high temperature. Of course, the skin of adults is not as thin as that of children, and it is impossible to poison yourself with alcohol or vinegar through it, however, the smell, the possibility of burning the skin and the procedure itself are not very pleasant for a person with a fever. Nevertheless, many practice rubbing down for fever to this day, despite warnings about their danger, and are satisfied with the effectiveness of the procedure. Therefore, if you try to bring down the temperature of an adult with the help of rubbing down, then use only heated water for this. As studies show, rubbing down with plain water and water with the addition of the above-mentioned substances is equally effective.

But it is better to practice warm, abundant drinking of infusions and decoctions of medicinal herbs, rehydration solution and even plain water. Frequent (every 5-10 minutes) drinking cool (a couple of degrees below the patient's body temperature) clean water in several sips reduces the body temperature at the level of rubbing by 0.2-0.3 degrees. It is even better to drink rehydration solution instead of water, especially in cases of vomiting or diarrhea at a high temperature.

Rehydration is best done with Regidron or other pharmaceutical preparations, but if you have nothing at hand and a pharmacy is not available, you can prepare a solution as follows: dissolve a little more than half a teaspoon of salt (preferably sea salt) and three full teaspoons of sugar in a liter of warm boiled water. Such a solution will help maintain the body's water-electrolyte balance and the proper glucose level.

Traditional healers have long believed that to reduce the temperature you need to sweat well. Herbal treatment of fever was carried out using dried linden flowers, viburnum berries, raspberries and currants, teas from twigs and leaves of raspberries and currants. Drinks are good to prepare from fruits containing a lot of ascorbic acid, for example, rose hips or citrus fruits.

You can make a mix of freshly squeezed apple and lemon juice, mixing them with a tablespoon of honey. The entire portion is divided into three equal parts and consumed throughout the day.

Sea buckthorn or viburnum berries, ground with honey or sugar, simply mix with warm boiled water and drink as a fruit drink.

Willow bark has the ability to reduce fever. It is crushed and a tablespoon is poured with a glass of boiling water, infused for two hours and drunk as tea.

Another proven remedy is an enema with chamomile infusion. The infusion is prepared in the following proportions: three tablespoons of dried flowers are taken per 200 ml of water. They are brewed with boiling water and simmered in a water bath for a quarter of an hour. Then they are infused for 45 minutes, filtered well, boiled water is added to the original volume, mixed with two tablespoons of vegetable oil and an enema is made.

Homeopathy for fever

An alternative to medications that reduce high temperature are homeopathic preparations. A professional homeopath will prescribe a drug after talking to the patient and examining him, taking into account not only the high temperature, but also the accompanying symptoms and modalities. In cases of treating conditions accompanied by fever, any homeopathic preparations are used.

If there are no other symptoms except for the high temperature, then attention is paid first of all to how the patient tolerates the temperature, his reaction to heat and cold, the suddenness of the onset of fever or a gradual increase in temperature, the nature of the temperature chart, the patient's condition - sleepy or excited, the presence of pain, anxiety, hyperemia or cyanosis, and so on.

In case of sudden and rapid rise in temperature to high values, the following is usually used:

Aconitum Napellus – the patient has dry and very sensitive skin, no sweating, strong thirst, is sensitive to any noise and excitable (also used for heat stroke);

Belladonna (Belladonna Atropa) – a sharp increase in temperature at night, when the patient went to bed completely healthy, convulsions, clouded consciousness, intolerance to sounds, light and touch, it becomes easier in absolute rest and warmth;

Honey bee (Apis Mellifica) - fever with tremors, severe headache, skin is hyperemic, there may be rashes, the patient feels bad from the heat, he throws off the blanket, demands to open the window, rushes around the bed in search of a cool place;

Stramonium Datura - red hyperthermia, which may include hallucinations, convulsions, nightmares, chills and tremors, intense thirst, the patient's condition worsens in the dark and alone, and improves in the company of relatives and in subdued lighting;

White arsenic (Arsenicum Album) - temperature fluctuating to high values, sweating, weakness, body aches, excitement giving way to prostration, frequent changes in body position, thirst - wants cold water often, but little by little, at night and in the cold the condition worsens, in the warmth the patient feels better, there is a rapid development of additional symptoms - cough, sore throat, in the intestines;

With a gradual increase in temperature, the following drugs are used symptomatically:

White Bryonia (Bryonia Alba) – thirst, profuse sweating, sharp pains, dry cough, any sound irritates in the evening, the condition improves with complete rest and immobility;

Poison sumac (Rhus Toxicodendron) - the disease was preceded by hypothermia, characterized by pain throughout the body, trembling, unwillingness to move bordering on anxiety and searching for a comfortable body position, thirst, trembling and coughing begin from drinking liquid, the tongue is coated;

Sleep-grass (Pulsatilla) - a gradually rising and jumping temperature, hot hands, cold feet and vice versa, chills even in warmth, no thirst, practically no pain, there may be a desire to go out into the fresh air, apathy, by morning - heavy sweating;

Virginia jasmine (Gelsemium) – a sudden increase in temperature accompanied by chills of varying intensity, no thirst, aching joints and head, watery eyes, a feverish blush on the face, sweating increases towards morning.

Homeopathic remedies from the pharmacy are also used to reduce fever and alleviate the patient's condition.

Viburcol suppositories are used as an antipyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent with a calming and relaxing effect. The composition of the drug combines the following active substances in homeopathic dilutions:

Matrix extract of chamomile (Chamomilla recutita) - alternating sensations of chills and heat, with nighttime aggravation, thirst, red hyperthermia, sweating with itchy miliaria;

Bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) – symptoms of hyperthermia usually appear after hypothermia and are accompanied by a dry cough;

Belladonna (Belladonna Atropa) – a sharp increase in temperature at night, when the patient went to bed completely healthy, convulsions, clouded consciousness, intolerance to sounds, light and touch, it becomes easier in absolute rest and warmth;

Plantago major – chills without thirst with a feeling of heat in the chest area, cold extremities even in a warm room, sweating, thirst, excitability, lack of air;

Sleep-grass (Pulsatilla) - a gradually rising and jumping temperature, hot hands, cold feet and vice versa, chills even in warmth, no thirst, practically no pain, there may be a desire to go out into the fresh air, apathy, by morning - heavy sweating;

Calcium carbonicum Hahnemanni or Calcarea Carbonica - the patient has a feeling of internal cold, chilliness and weakness, combined with a feverish flush on the cheeks, worse in the cold, better in the warmth.

Suppositories are recommended for use in pediatric practice and for pregnant women, however, adults can also use this drug to reduce temperature. In acute conditions, suppositories are used every quarter of an hour, but no more than eight times in a row, then switch to maintenance therapy from two to three times during the day.

You can also use Gripp-Heel tablets, which relieve intoxication and inflammation, activate the immune system and thereby improve the patient's condition. They are mainly prescribed for influenza and other acute viral infections, inflammatory processes that cause symptoms of intoxication.

Contains:

Aconitum Napellus – the patient has dry and very sensitive skin, no sweating, strong thirst, is sensitive to any noise and excitable (also used for heat stroke);

White Bryonia (Bryonia Alba) – thirst, profuse sweating, sharp pains, dry cough, any sound irritates in the evening, the condition improves with complete rest and immobility;

Hemp grass (Eupatorium perfoliatum) - the disease begins with intense thirst, then comes fever, accompanied by pain in the bones, head, limbs, photophobia and pressure on the eyes, the patient is usually cold, and he tries to wrap himself up, this condition often lasts until the evening, and sometimes drags on until the morning, then the patient sweats and the condition eases;

Rattlesnake venom (Lachesis) is a powerful anesthetic;

Phosphorus – chills, internal coldness, icy extremities followed by heat, night sweats and thirst, intermittent fever, insomnia, anxiety.

For the treatment of viral infections, the drug Engystol of the same brand, produced in tablets and ampoules, can be prescribed. It contains two components: Lastoven officinalis in three homeopathic dilutions (Vincetoxicum hirundinaria), used to treat colds, and Sulfur (Sulfur) - in two. The second component eliminates symptoms of general malaise, night cough, shortness of breath, hyperemia and sore throat, runny nose.

The tablet forms of both drugs are used sublingually, one at a time, in acute conditions - every quarter of an hour, but not more than two hours in a row, then three times a day half an hour before meals or an hour after them.

There is also an injection form of the drug. Injections for high temperatures are given daily from three to five times, then the regimen is switched from once every two or three days to once a week.