Toxicology: quinine toxicity: 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.

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Forensic Medicine · Toxicology: quinine toxicity

Sample item

A patient who took many quinine tablets has tinnitus, blurred vision progressing to blindness, and hypoglycaemia. What is this syndrome called?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Cinchonism

Quinine toxicity causes cinchonism with tinnitus, headache, nausea and visual disturbance, and in overdose blindness, QT prolongation and hypoglycaemia. Ergotism is poisoning by ergot, plumbism is lead poisoning and argyria is silver deposition.

Option by option

  • A. Argyria

    Argyria is blue-grey skin discolouration from silver.

  • B. Plumbism

    Plumbism is lead poisoning with colic and neuropathy.

  • C. Cinchonism (correct)

    Correct. Tinnitus, visual loss and hypoglycaemia from quinine form cinchonism.

  • D. Ergotism

    Ergotism produces gangrene or convulsions from ergot alkaloids.

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 Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is C, Cinchonism. Quinine toxicity causes cinchonism with tinnitus, headache, nausea and visual disturbance, and in overdose blindness, QT prolongation and hypoglycaemia.

Why is "Argyria" not the answer?

Argyria is blue-grey skin discolouration from silver.

Why is "Plumbism" not the answer?

Plumbism is lead poisoning with colic and neuropathy.

Why is "Ergotism" not the answer?

Ergotism produces gangrene or convulsions from ergot alkaloids.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Toxicology: quinine toxicity in Forensic Medicine. Ergotism is poisoning by ergot, plumbism is lead poisoning and argyria is silver deposition.

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 Toxicology: quinine toxicity?

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.