Final answer:
A patient's temperature can rise due to the body's response to infection, where pyrogens adjust the hypothalamus to increase body temperature to fight pathogens. Other factors include overproduction of heat, body temperature set-point changes, inadequacies in cooling mechanisms, as well as certain diseases like hyperhidrosis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Causes of Fever in Patients
A patient's temperature may rise above the normal range for several reasons. The main cause of an elevated temperature, or fever, is the body's response to an infection. When the immune system detects a pathogen, such as bacteria or a virus, it can release chemicals called pyrogens. These pyrogens cause the hypothalamus, which is the body's thermostat, to reset to a higher temperature. This increase in body temperature can help to fight the infection by slowing the reproduction of the pathogens, conserving iron which reduces nutrients for bacteria, and increasing the activity of enzymes and protective cells.
Other factors that can lead to a higher body temperature include an overproduction of body heat, an upward adjustment of the body temperature set-point, inadequate cooling mechanisms, or the presence of malignant tissue, as suggested by an infrared thermograph. An increase in body temperature can also trigger an increase in the basal metabolic rate (BMR), leading to faster chemical reactions in the body. Lastly, certain diseases or conditions such as hyperhidrosis can also result in temperature abnormalities.