The effect of antipyretic medication on the relationship between heart rate, respiratory rate and temperature in acutely admitted medical patients: A retrospective study.

Summary: When you get a fever, your heart and breathing usually speed up. Doctors wanted to know if fever-reducing medicines (like Tylenol or ibuprofen) change this normal reaction. They looked at the records of over 1,600 sick patients admitted to the hospital. They found that for patients taking fever medicine, their heart rate and breathing sped up even more for every degree of fever compared to those not taking the medicine. This means fever medicines actually strengthen the link between your body temperature, heart rate, and breathing rate.