Wed24November0743AM 7

True / False

Makes blood more viscous Correct

Renders a patient more liable to infection Correct

Is beneficial in head injury Incorrect answer selected

Alpha stat ABGs corrects for blood temperature Correct

Defined as a core temperature less than 35.5°C Correct

Explanation

NICE guidelines define hypothermia as a patient core temperature less than 36.0°C.

During alpha-stat acid-base management the ionization state of histidine is maintained by managing a standardized pH, measured at 37°C. Therefore temperature compensation is required. pH-stat aims for a PaCO2 of 40 mmHg and a pH of 7.40 at the patient's actual temperature (no temperature compensation is required). This leads to higher PaCO2 (respiratory acidosis) and increased cerebral blood flow.

Blood is more viscous when cold and although hypothermia after Return Of Spontaneous Circulation in cardiac arrest may be beneficial it is unproven in head injury/CVA.

Reference:

NICE. Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia (CG65).

Answer Statistics

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Average score: 74.62%

Times answered: 249