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S U P P L E M E N T T O O U T P AT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4
The first hour of general
anesthesia drops the body's core
temperature by roughly __________.
a.
0.5°C to 1.0°C
c.
1.6°C to 2.0°C
b.
1.0°C to 1.6°C
d.
2.0°C to 2.6°C
Answer:
b
General anesthesia causes vasodilation, which lets
the warmer blood flow away from the body's core
and mix with blood from the cooler periphery. As
the blood circulates, it cools until returning back to
the heart, where it will cause a drop in core temper-
ature. This decrease in temperature during the first
hour of general anesthesia is called redistribution
temperature drop. Pre-heating patients with passive
or active warming, even if they're not hypothermic
in pre-op, will help to counteract some of the initial
heat loss brought on by anesthesia induction.
What percentage
of patients are hypothermic
when entering the PACU?
a.
25%
c.
50%
b.
35%
d.
75%
Answer:
c
P A T I E N T W A R M I N G
