Which pharmacologic class is used to reduce fever?

• A. Antipyretic
• B. Anti-inflammatory
• C. Antimanic
• D. Antineoplastic

Answer: (A)

Fever is driven by prostaglandin E2 increasing the hypothalamic set point in response to pyrogens. Antipyretics reduce fever by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis in the brain, typically through cyclooxygenase inhibition, which lowers the hypothalamic set point and triggers heat-dissipation responses like sweating and vasodilation to bring body temperature down. This makes antipyretics the best choice for directly reducing fever. Examples include acetaminophen and NSAIDs such as ibuprofen; acetaminophen is often preferred in children due to its safety profile, while NSAIDs also have anti-inflammatory effects. The other classes listed are for different purposes—antimanic for mood stabilization and antineoplastic for cancer—and do not primarily function to reduce fever.