Is prevention of hypothermia warranted in a patient who received a central neuraxial block?

Is prevention of hypothermia warranted in a patient who received a central neuraxial block?

Yes. In a patient with a neuraxial block, the area blocked is vasodilated and autoregulation is lost. Shivering is precluded if a motor block is present. Central control is impaired as well, owing to the incorrect perception by the central nervous system that the skin temperature is elevated in the blocked area. Significant hypothermia can occur, leading to discomfort and shivering, although the shivering threshold is lowered.