adj.
Reducing or tending to reduce fever.
n.
A medication that reduces fever.
antipyresis an'ti·py·re'sis (-rē'sĭs) n.
antipyretic
Dictionary:
an·ti·py·ret·ic (ăn'tē-pī-rĕt'ĭk, ăn'tī-)  |
| 5min Related Video: antipyretic |
| Wordsmith Words: antipyretic |
(an-tee-py-RET-ik)
adjective
Reducing or relieving fever.
noun
A medicine that reduces or relieves fever.
Etymology
From Middle English anti- (against) + pyretic (relating to fever), from New Latin pyreticus, from Greek pureto (fever), from pur (fire). Other words derived from the same root are fire, pyrotechnics (fireworks), and pyrites (mineral that produces sparks when struck).
"Physicians suggest antipyretic drugs and normal water sponging to reduce fever." — Abdur Rahman Khan, Viral Fever Grips City, The Independent (Bangladesh), Jun 13, 2000.
"From paint to pain: Friedrich Bayer and Friedrich Weskott were two buddies who set up an international paint and dye company in Germany in 1863. Scientists in 1886 discovered an antipyretic painkiller could be manufactured from the waste of one of the dye products. So, in 1888, the pair set up a pharmaceutical department." — Marilyn Linton; Little Pill Made a Big Difference; The Toronto Sun (Canada); Mar 14, 1999.
| Dental Dictionary: antipyretic |
(an′tīpīret′ik)
n
n
A drug that reduces fever primarily through action on the hypothalamus, thereby resulting in increased heat dissipation through augmented peripheral blood flow and sweating.
| Sports Science and Medicine: antipyretic |
A drug, such as acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), that can reduce an elevated body temperature.
| Veterinary Dictionary: antipyretic |
1. effective against fever.
2. an agent that relieves fever. Cold packs, aspirin and quinine are all antipyretics. Antipyretic drugs dilate the blood vessels near the surface of the skin, thereby allowing more blood to flow through the skin with increased heat loss by radiation and convection. Also, an antipyretic can increase perspiration, the evaporation of which cools the body.
| Word Tutor: antipyretic |
IN BRIEF: n. - Any medicine that lowers body temperature to prevent or alleviate fever adj. - Preventing or alleviating fever.
Tutor's tip: This was the winning word in the 1991 National Spelling Bee!
| Wikipedia: Antipyretic |
Antipyretics (literally "against the fire") are drugs that reduce body temperature in situations such as fever[1]. However, they will not affect the normal body temperature if one does not have a fever.
Antipyretics cause the hypothalamus to override an interleukin-induced increase in temperature. The body will then work to lower the temperature and the result is a reduction in fever.
Most antipyretics are also used for other purposes.[citation needed] For example, the most common antipyretics in the United States are aspirin and acetaminophen (paracetamol), which are used primarily as pain relievers. NSAIDs are antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, and pain relievers. There is some debate over the appropriate use of such medications: fever is part of the body's immune response to infection.
Herbal remedies with a fever-reducing effect are called febrifuges, and include catnip, chamomile, sage, wormwood and yarrow. However, the term febrifuge can also refer to a refrigerant, such as topical alcohol, which cools the body by physically removing heat rather than modifying the body's responses. This is not recommended currently, because alcohol can be transferred through the skin and affect the liver.
A popular misconception is that a fever over 105°F (40.6°C) may cause permanent damage. This however is not true. It would take a body temperature over 108°F (42°C)to do this. This can only happen in extreme cases (IE: being locked in a closed car in the summer or suffering from heat stroke).[2]
Some cultures such as China use gallstones obtained from cow or dog meat as antipyretic antidotes.
References
- ^ "Definition of antipyretic". Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antipyretic. Retrieved 2007-12-19.
- ^ "Pediatric Advisor 2009.1 Fever Myths and Facts". University of Michigan Health System-CS Mott Children's Hospital. http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/pa/pa_feverpho_hhg.htm. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
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This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2007) |
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| Translations: Antipyretic |
Dansk (Danish)
adj. - feberstillende
n. - feberstillende middel
Nederlands (Dutch)
koortswerend (middel)
Français (French)
adj. - antipyrétique
n. - antipyrétique
Deutsch (German)
adj. - (med.) antipyretisch, fiebersenkend
n. - (med.) Antipyretikum, Mittel gegen Fieber
Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - (φαρμακολ.) αντιπυρετικός
n. - αντιπυρετικό (φάρμακο)
Italiano (Italian)
antipiretico
Português (Portuguese)
adj. - antipirético
n. - antipirético (m) (Quím.) (Med.)
Русский (Russian)
жаропонижающее, жаропонижающее средство
Español (Spanish)
adj. - antipirético
n. - antipirético, medicina para bajar la fiebre
Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - febernedsättande
n. - febernedsättande medel
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
退热的, 退热剂
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 退熱的
n. - 退熱劑
한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 해열의
n. - 해열제
日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 解熱の
n. - 解熱薬, 解熱剤
العربيه (Arabic)
(صفه) مقاوم (الاسم) مانع للحمى
עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - מונע חום, מוריד חום
n. - תרופה מונעת או מורידה חום
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 | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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