HOSA Crime Scene and Death Investigation Practice Test

The condition defined as body temperature higher than normal is hyperthermia. Hyperthermia occurs when the body absorbs more heat than it dissipates, leading to an elevated body temperature, which can be dangerous and potentially life-threatening. It is important to differentiate hyperthermia from fever; while both conditions involve increased body temperature, fever is a regulated response by the body to an infection or illness, whereas hyperthermia is typically related to environmental factors or excessive exertion.

The other conditions do not specifically pertain to high body temperature. Hypothermia refers to an abnormally low body temperature, while shock is a critical condition resulting from insufficient blood flow and oxygen to the body's tissues. Fever, while an elevated temperature, is not synonymous with hyperthermia, as it is a response to illness rather than an uncontrolled rise in temperature due to environmental factors. Thus, hyperthermia is the accurate term for a condition characterized by a body temperature above the normal range.