Cardiovascular physiology, fluids, and blood management: curriculum recognition: 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 · Cardiovascular physiology, fluids, and blood management: curriculum recognition

Sample item

After a sudden fall in arterial pressure, stretch receptors in the carotid sinus and aortic arch reduce their firing. Which change in autonomic outflow follows?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Increased sympathetic and reduced vagal outflow

Less afferent firing from the arterial baroreceptors disinhibits the vasomotor centre, raising sympathetic outflow and withdrawing vagal tone. This produces tachycardia and vasoconstriction to restore the pressure. Volatile anaesthetics and spinal blockade blunt this response.

Option by option

  • A. Increased sympathetic and reduced vagal outflow (correct)

    Correct. Falling pressure causes sympathetic activation with vagal withdrawal.

  • B. Reduced sympathetic and increased vagal outflow

    This pattern would follow a rise in pressure, which increases baroreceptor firing.

  • C. Increased sympathetic and increased vagal outflow

    Both limbs would not rise together; vagal tone falls with hypotension.

  • D. Reduced sympathetic and reduced vagal outflow

    Sympathetic outflow rises rather than falls to defend the pressure.

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 A, Increased sympathetic and reduced vagal outflow. Less afferent firing from the arterial baroreceptors disinhibits the vasomotor centre, raising sympathetic outflow and withdrawing vagal tone.

Why is "Reduced sympathetic and increased vagal outflow" not the answer?

This pattern would follow a rise in pressure, which increases baroreceptor firing.

Why is "Increased sympathetic and increased vagal outflow" not the answer?

Both limbs would not rise together; vagal tone falls with hypotension.

Why is "Reduced sympathetic and reduced vagal outflow" not the answer?

Sympathetic outflow rises rather than falls to defend the pressure.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Cardiovascular physiology, fluids, and blood management: curriculum recognition in Anaesthesia. This produces tachycardia and vasoconstriction to restore the pressure. Volatile anaesthetics and spinal blockade blunt this response.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. 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 Cardiovascular physiology, fluids, and blood management: curriculum recognition?

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.