Clinical pathway for early postoperative care

• Predisposes to ventricular dysrhythmias and lowersVF threshold• Increases SVR; increases afterload and myocardialworkload• Patient shivering causes increased peripheral O2consumption• Decreases CO2 production; a patient who has arespiratory alkalosis (low PCO2) on initial ABG usuallywill increase their PCO2 with rewarming• Coagulopathy; impairs platelet function and thecoagulation cascade. Rewarming is an important partof the treatment of a bleeding patient.