Environmental health: heat illness: practice question

A PSM 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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PSM · Environmental health: heat illness

Sample item

A steel-furnace worker who has been drinking only plain water develops painful spasms of the calf and abdominal muscles. His temperature is normal and he is mentally clear. What is the disorder?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Heat cramps

Heat cramps result from salt depletion in people who sweat heavily and replace only water. Temperature is normal and the mind is clear. Treatment is rest in a cool place and oral salt-containing fluids.

Option by option

  • A. Heat stroke

    Heat stroke has a core temperature above 40 degrees C with altered sensorium.

  • B. Heat cramps (correct)

    Correct. Painful muscle spasm with normal temperature after salt loss is heat cramps.

  • C. Heat syncope

    Heat syncope is a brief faint from peripheral vasodilation and postural pooling.

  • D. Heat exhaustion

    Heat exhaustion causes weakness, headache and tachycardia, not isolated muscle spasm.

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 PSM questions

Questions about this PSM question

What is the answer to this PSM question?

The best answer is B, Heat cramps. Heat cramps result from salt depletion in people who sweat heavily and replace only water.

Why is "Heat stroke" not the answer?

Heat stroke has a core temperature above 40 degrees C with altered sensorium.

Why is "Heat syncope" not the answer?

Heat syncope is a brief faint from peripheral vasodilation and postural pooling.

Why is "Heat exhaustion" not the answer?

Heat exhaustion causes weakness, headache and tachycardia, not isolated muscle spasm.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Environmental health: heat illness in PSM. Temperature is normal and the mind is clear. Treatment is rest in a cool place and oral salt-containing fluids.

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 Environmental health: heat illness?

Practise biostatistics with small calculations until sensitivity, predictive values and risk measures are automatic. Then use the flashcards and the other PSM 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.