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22 years
Hi, my grandmother is in a coma dead brain state.Can't tell yet, and living on machines. At first her body was cold now its warm.Does it tell anythin?
Feb 2, 2015

Dr. Zakia Dimassi Pediatrics
This is obviously a complex case, and your grandmother must be on many medications. Variations in body temperature in a normal person occur throughout the day, and the regulation of the body temperature is controlled by a structure in the brain called the hypothalamus. A good number of factors may affect the hypothalamus' ability to regulate body temperature, including level of hydration, medications etc. Your grandmother being in a vegetative state may affect the function of the hypothalamus, with resulting unsustainable ability to regulate body temperature. Some medications that dilate the blood vessels and increase the ability of the heart muscles to contract also have the effect of increasing blood flow to the extremities so they may feel warmer. So you see, there is no direct and clear answer. You need to address this question to the doctor who is following the case - he/she knows all the factors that may affect body temperature.
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