Emergency and critical care: severe hypothermia: practice question

A General 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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General Medicine · Emergency and critical care: severe hypothermia

Sample item

A homeless man found in winter has a core temperature of 28 C, bradycardia and J waves on the ECG. What is the correct management?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Gentle handling with active core rewarming

J (Osborn) waves are typical of hypothermia. Moderate to severe hypothermia needs gentle handling to avoid ventricular fibrillation and active core rewarming. Cardiac drugs are ineffective and arrhythmias are refractory until warmed.

Option by option

  • A. Rapid external heating with a hot bath

    Rapid external heating can cause peripheral vasodilation and rewarming shock.

  • B. Gentle handling with active core rewarming (correct)

    Correct. Active core rewarming with gentle handling is appropriate.

  • C. Intravenous amiodarone

    Amiodarone is ineffective in hypothermic arrhythmias.

  • D. Intravenous adrenaline infusion

    Adrenaline is ineffective in cold myocardium and may precipitate arrhythmia.

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 General Medicine questions

Questions about this General Medicine question

What is the answer to this General Medicine question?

The best answer is B, Gentle handling with active core rewarming. J (Osborn) waves are typical of hypothermia.

Why is "Rapid external heating with a hot bath" not the answer?

Rapid external heating can cause peripheral vasodilation and rewarming shock.

Why is "Intravenous amiodarone" not the answer?

Amiodarone is ineffective in hypothermic arrhythmias.

Why is "Intravenous adrenaline infusion" not the answer?

Adrenaline is ineffective in cold myocardium and may precipitate arrhythmia.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Emergency and critical care: severe hypothermia in General Medicine. Moderate to severe hypothermia needs gentle handling to avoid ventricular fibrillation and active core rewarming. Cardiac drugs are ineffective and arrhythmias are refractory until warmed.

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 Emergency and critical care: severe hypothermia?

For each disease know the classic presentation, the best test, and the first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other General 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.