Preoperative assessment: smoking cessation: practice question

A Anaesthesia 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.

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Anaesthesia · Preoperative assessment: smoking cessation

Sample item

A heavy smoker stops smoking 24 hours before surgery. Which benefit is realistically achieved by this time?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Carboxyhaemoglobin falls and oxygen delivery improves

Carbon monoxide has a half-life of about 4 to 6 hours in air, so carboxyhaemoglobin normalises within 12 to 24 hours and nicotine effects wear off. Ciliary function and sputum improve over weeks, and the reduction in postoperative complications needs about 6 to 8 weeks.

Option by option

  • A. Sputum volume returns to normal

    Sputum production reduces only after several weeks.

  • B. Airway reactivity normalises

    Airway hyperreactivity improves slowly over weeks.

  • C. Ciliary function fully recovers

    Ciliary function takes weeks to recover.

  • D. Carboxyhaemoglobin falls and oxygen delivery improves (correct)

    Correct. CO and nicotine effects reverse within a day.

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.

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Questions about this Anaesthesia question

What is the answer to this Anaesthesia question?

The best answer is D, Carboxyhaemoglobin falls and oxygen delivery improves. Carbon monoxide has a half-life of about 4 to 6 hours in air, so carboxyhaemoglobin normalises within 12 to 24 hours and nicotine effects wear off.

Why is "Sputum volume returns to normal" not the answer?

Sputum production reduces only after several weeks.

Why is "Airway reactivity normalises" not the answer?

Airway hyperreactivity improves slowly over weeks.

Why is "Ciliary function fully recovers" not the answer?

Ciliary function takes weeks to recover.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Preoperative assessment: smoking cessation in Anaesthesia. Ciliary function and sputum improve over weeks, and the reduction in postoperative complications needs about 6 to 8 weeks.

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 Preoperative assessment: smoking cessation?

Make a table of each agent, its key advantage and its main side effect. Then use the flashcards and the other Anaesthesia 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.