A person's body temperature may appear higher than it really is under certain circumstances.
Causes of a false elevation in body temperature:
(1) ingestion of hot food or drink
(2) excessive clothing
(3) excessive blankets or use of a heating blanket
(4) sitting in a vehicle in direct sunlight or in a hot environment
(5) proximity to a radiant heat source
(6) after intense exercise
(7) diurnal variation (temperature higher in late afternoon)
If one or more of these condition is present then the person's temperature should be rechecked after reversal of the condition.
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Purpose: To determine if a patient's recorded temperature may be falsely elevated.
Specialty: Infectious Diseases
Objective: other testing
ICD-10: R50,
