Friday, 24 August 2012

Pulmonary vasoconstriction

Question: Pulmonary vasoconstriction may be caused by

a) Hypothermia

b) Smoking ‘Crack’ cocaine
c) Volatile anaesthetic agents
d) Calcium channel blockers
e) Positive end expiratory pressure


Answer: b

Explanation:
‘Crack’ or free-base cocaine is a Class A illicit drug, which is used widely in the ‘hard’
drug taking community. In 2001, in the USA, 4.7% of young adults admitted to having
used ‘Crack’ cocaine. Due to the illegal nature of the drug, ‘Crack’ has not been the
subject of formal randomised controlled trials. There is a substantial body of case
reports and good animal-model work to suggest that smoking ‘Crack’ puts a patient
at risk of developing pulmonary vasoconstriction. All the other options here are known
to inhibit pulmonary vasoconstriction.

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