Aa
pacemaker
Hi, am doing some research. please can you explain why an 89yr old with pacemaker kept her 70bpm pulse with a fever of 40 deg.C. Also what were the metabolic implications for her? Many thanks.
In response to your comments on your other post.
The Human body is a great design and has more than one system to increase oxygen. When we are at rest, around 98% of Haemoglobin will be saturated with Oxygen, and the body only uses around 20-25% of this which leaves a LOT in reserve. If the body starts to use more and levels start to drop, we produce more Haemoglobin in bone marrow and send it into the blood stream, giving a higher saturation. The biggest issue with fever is getting the infection under control and trying to maintain body temperature. Dehydration is by far the biggest killer with fever, and fluid loss can be counteracted by monitoring the patient and using IV to push more fluids in. With loss of fluids, cells will start to die, blood pressure will drop and this is not a good situation to be in. From reports I've read with brain cells, they may start to die at 42c.
From the patients I've observed in intensive care, they keep the heart rate low, 70-80 to keep it from overworking over long periods of time. It has to be remembered that the infection causing a fever could also be attacking cardiac muscle.
To get an idea of the reserve of oxygen in the body, free divers can hold their breath easily for 15 minutes, I think the record is something like 19 minutes. If the brain needed 20% of the oxygen from each breath we take, then it would certainly be in a poor state after holding your breath for 17 minutes. At rest I take a breath around every 5-7 seconds. After 30 seconds I should be at zero oxygen just because of the brain. If I hold my breath for one minute I'm not even light headed.
The Human body is a great design and has more than one system to increase oxygen. When we are at rest, around 98% of Haemoglobin will be saturated with Oxygen, and the body only uses around 20-25% of this which leaves a LOT in reserve. If the body starts to use more and levels start to drop, we produce more Haemoglobin in bone marrow and send it into the blood stream, giving a higher saturation. The biggest issue with fever is getting the infection under control and trying to maintain body temperature. Dehydration is by far the biggest killer with fever, and fluid loss can be counteracted by monitoring the patient and using IV to push more fluids in. With loss of fluids, cells will start to die, blood pressure will drop and this is not a good situation to be in. From reports I've read with brain cells, they may start to die at 42c.
From the patients I've observed in intensive care, they keep the heart rate low, 70-80 to keep it from overworking over long periods of time. It has to be remembered that the infection causing a fever could also be attacking cardiac muscle.
To get an idea of the reserve of oxygen in the body, free divers can hold their breath easily for 15 minutes, I think the record is something like 19 minutes. If the brain needed 20% of the oxygen from each breath we take, then it would certainly be in a poor state after holding your breath for 17 minutes. At rest I take a breath around every 5-7 seconds. After 30 seconds I should be at zero oxygen just because of the brain. If I hold my breath for one minute I'm not even light headed.
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