Asphyxial deaths: cafe coronary: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

Try it

Forensic Medicine · Asphyxial deaths: cafe coronary

Sample item

A 55-year-old man who had been drinking at a restaurant suddenly collapses while eating and dies before help arrives; it is first thought to be a heart attack. At autopsy a large bolus of meat is lodged in the laryngopharynx. This presentation is called:

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Cafe coronary

A cafe coronary is sudden death while eating, mistaken for myocardial infarction, caused by impaction of a food bolus at the laryngeal inlet. Alcohol intoxication, poor dentition and rapid swallowing are risk factors. Autopsy shows an impacted bolus and signs of asphyxia.

Option by option

  • A. Positional asphyxia

    Positional asphyxia is due to a body position that restricts breathing.

  • B. Cafe coronary (correct)

    Correct. Sudden collapse while eating from an impacted bolus is cafe coronary.

  • C. Burking

    Burking is a homicidal method with chest compression and smothering.

  • D. Immersion syndrome

    Immersion syndrome is cardiac arrest on sudden entry into cold water.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Forensic Medicine questions

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is B, Cafe coronary. A cafe coronary is sudden death while eating, mistaken for myocardial infarction, caused by impaction of a food bolus at the laryngeal inlet.

Why is "Positional asphyxia" not the answer?

Positional asphyxia is due to a body position that restricts breathing.

Why is "Burking" not the answer?

Burking is a homicidal method with chest compression and smothering.

Why is "Immersion syndrome" not the answer?

Immersion syndrome is cardiac arrest on sudden entry into cold water.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Asphyxial deaths: cafe coronary in Forensic Medicine. Alcohol intoxication, poor dentition and rapid swallowing are risk factors. Autopsy shows an impacted bolus and signs of asphyxia.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Asphyxial deaths: cafe coronary?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.