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The Collaborative International Dictionary
hyperthermia

hyperthermia \hyperthermia\, hyperthermy \hyperthermy\n. abnormally high body temperature.

Syn: hyperthermy.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
hyperthermia

1878, medical Latin, from hyper- + Greek therme "heat" (see thermal) + abstract noun ending -ia.

Wiktionary
hyperthermia

n. 1 (context pathology English) The condition of having an abnormally high body temperature caused by a failure of the heat-regulating mechanisms of the body to deal with the heat coming from the environment. 2 (context medicine English) The therapeutic use of applying heat to a patient.

WordNet
hyperthermia

n. abnormally high body temperature; sometimes induced (as in treating some forms of cancer) [syn: hyperthermy] [ant: hypothermia]

Wikipedia
Hyperthermia

Hyperthermia is elevated body temperature due to failed thermoregulation that occurs when a body produces or absorbs more heat than it dissipates. Extreme temperature elevation then becomes a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment to prevent disability or death.

The most common causes include heat stroke and adverse reactions to drugs. The former is an acute temperature elevation caused by exposure to excessive heat, or combination of heat and humidity, that overwhelms the heat-regulating mechanisms. The latter is a relatively rare side effect of many drugs, particularly those that affect the central nervous system. Malignant hyperthermia is a rare complication of some types of general anesthesia.

Hyperthermia differs from fever in that the body's temperature set point remains unchanged. The opposite is hypothermia, which occurs when the temperature drops below that required to maintain normal metabolism.

Usage examples of "hyperthermia".

Her fear of dying from hyperthermia or of being suffocated was certainly profound.

Past that point hyperthermia would set in, and her vital systems would begin to fail: forty-five degrees, whatever the humidity, would see her succumb to severe heat stress, and death would quickly follow.