pulse-temperature dissociation

pulse-temperature dissociation

Background The pulse rate ↑ 15-20 beats/min. for each degree ↑ in core body temperature > 39ºC; a lower than normal ↑ in pulse rate or relative bradycardia–ie, a PTD is not uncommon and occurs in burns, drug fever, hepatitis, intoxication–eg, trinitrotoluene, TNT, Legionnaires' disease, malaria–blackwater fever, acute MI, psittacosis, typhoid fever, yellow fever; relative tachycardia is far less common, but is typical of clinically silent PE, diphtheria and clostridial infections