Which option is NOT a sign of malignant hyperthermia?

Which option is NOT a sign of malignant hyperthermia?

• A. Elevated CK
• B. Fever
• C. Rigidity
• D. Hypothermia

Answer: (D)

Malignant hyperthermia is a hypermetabolic crisis driven by sudden, uncontrolled calcium release in skeletal muscle in response to triggering anesthetics. This leads to sustained muscle contraction, extremely increased metabolism, and heat production. You see signs like rapid rise in end-tidal CO2, tachycardia, muscle rigidity, and then hyperthermia with rising CK from rhabdomyolysis and metabolic acidosis. Hypothermia would go against this heat-generating process, so it is not a sign of malignant hyperthermia. Fever can occur as the temperature climbs, but the key issue is that the body overheats rather than cools.

Malignant hyperthermia is a hypermetabolic crisis driven by sudden, uncontrolled calcium release in skeletal muscle in response to triggering anesthetics. This leads to sustained muscle contraction, extremely increased metabolism, and heat production. You see signs like rapid rise in end-tidal CO2, tachycardia, muscle rigidity, and then hyperthermia with rising CK from rhabdomyolysis and metabolic acidosis. Hypothermia would go against this heat-generating process, so it is not a sign of malignant hyperthermia. Fever can occur as the temperature climbs, but the key issue is that the body overheats rather than cools.