№ 7Toxicology19 min read
Hypothermia and hyperthermia. Electric shock, rhabdomyolysis
1. Big picture
This topic is a toxicology–emergency medicine overlap. The examiner wants you to recognize four life-threatening patterns:
| Condition | Pattern to recognize | What kills first |
|---|---|---|
| Hypothermia | cold exposure + low core temperature + bradycardia/altered mental state | ventricular fibrillation, asystole, respiratory failure |
| Hyperthermia / heat stroke | high core temperature + CNS dysfunction | multiorgan failure, DIC, rhabdomyolysis |
| Electric shock | electrical exposure + burns/arrhythmia/trauma | ventricular fibrillation, respiratory arrest, deep tissue injury |
| Rhabdomyolysis | muscle injury + high CK + myoglobinuria | hyperkalemia, acute kidney injury |
The shared emergency logic:
ABCDE first
↓
Measure core temperature / ECG / glucose / blood gas
↓
Treat the immediate life threat:
- hypothermia → gentle handling + rewarming
- hyperthermia → rapid cooling
- electric shock → scene safety + CPR/ECG + trauma/burn care
- rhabdomyolysis → fluids + hyperkalemia treatment + renal protection
↓
Monitor complications: arrhythmia, AKI, DIC, compartment syndrome
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