Special arrest: hypothermia: 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 · Special arrest: hypothermia

Sample item

A patient is pulled from icy water with a core temperature of 24 degrees C and is pulseless. What is the principle?

AAvoid defibrillation entirelyBDeclare death at onceCGive repeated high-dose adrenaline until successDContinue CPR and rewarm, since resuscitation is not abandoned until warm

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Continue CPR and rewarm, since resuscitation is not abandoned until warm

Hypothermia protects the brain, so no one is dead until warm and dead. Drug administration and defibrillation may be limited until core temperature rises above 30 degrees C, and extracorporeal rewarming is used when available.

Option by option

A. Avoid defibrillation entirely
A limited number of shocks is allowed.
B. Declare death at once
Declaring death early is wrong.
C. Give repeated high-dose adrenaline until success
Repeated high-dose drugs are ineffective in cold myocardium.
D. Continue CPR and rewarm, since resuscitation is not abandoned until warm (correct)
Correct. Continue and rewarm.

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.

Questions about this Anaesthesia question

What is the answer to this Anaesthesia question?

The best answer is D, Continue CPR and rewarm, since resuscitation is not abandoned until warm. Hypothermia protects the brain, so no one is dead until warm and dead.

Why is "Avoid defibrillation entirely" not the answer?

A limited number of shocks is allowed.

Why is "Declare death at once" not the answer?

Declaring death early is wrong.

Why is "Give repeated high-dose adrenaline until success" not the answer?

Repeated high-dose drugs are ineffective in cold myocardium.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Special arrest: hypothermia in Anaesthesia. Drug administration and defibrillation may be limited until core temperature rises above 30 degrees C, and extracorporeal rewarming is used when available.

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 Special arrest: hypothermia?

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.