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Has COPD, Pacemaker, Sleep Apnea. Bouts, Shortness Of Breath, Severe Coldness. New Symptom?
My 75 year old father has COPD, a pacemaker, sleep apnea and experiences bouts with shortness of breath. His doctor is aware of those facts. Lately, his bouts with shortness of breath has been combined with severe coldness that is so cold it causes his teeth to chatter. Does this coldness indicate anything new or is it just a symptom of his other problems?
Mon, 6 May 2013
Dear Sir
Thanks for your query to us.
Shivering indicates that the body wants to increase it's core temperature. It may be either under the influence of pyrogens (chemical liberated by infections/inflamation which act on brain to increase temperature) or there is a mismatch between the core temperature in brain & actual body temperature. Since infection is one of the possibilities and your father has COPD (which predisposes to lung infections), i would like you to see your GP and get him assessed. In old patients we can not rely on fever as a marker of infection albeit increase in cough /sputum in COPD indicate infective exacerbations.
Hope it helps.
Best wishes.
Sincerely
Sukhvinder singh
Thanks for your query to us.
Shivering indicates that the body wants to increase it's core temperature. It may be either under the influence of pyrogens (chemical liberated by infections/inflamation which act on brain to increase temperature) or there is a mismatch between the core temperature in brain & actual body temperature. Since infection is one of the possibilities and your father has COPD (which predisposes to lung infections), i would like you to see your GP and get him assessed. In old patients we can not rely on fever as a marker of infection albeit increase in cough /sputum in COPD indicate infective exacerbations.
Hope it helps.
Best wishes.
Sincerely
Sukhvinder singh
I find this answer helpful
1 Doctor agrees with this answer
Hello,
The shortness of breath and chills if associated together could point toward the possibility of low thyroid levels and must be looked into. Since he has a pacemaker its status should also be counter checked. There is a possibility that if the rate of the pacemaker is under it could lead to shortness of breath but this however will not explain the chills.
Regards
The shortness of breath and chills if associated together could point toward the possibility of low thyroid levels and must be looked into. Since he has a pacemaker its status should also be counter checked. There is a possibility that if the rate of the pacemaker is under it could lead to shortness of breath but this however will not explain the chills.
Regards
I find this answer helpful
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