During anesthesia in neonates and pediatric patients, inhalants have an increased risk for which of the following?

During anesthesia in neonates and pediatric patients, inhalants have an increased risk for which of the following?

• A. Hypothermia
• B. Hyperglycemia
• C. Hypernatremia
• D. Hyperlipidemia

Answer: (A)

Key concept: Inhaled anesthetics increase the risk of hypothermia in neonates and children because their heat-regulation system is immature and they lose heat more easily under anesthesia. Infants have a large surface area relative to their body mass, thin skin, and limited insulating fat, so heat escapes rapidly. Anesthesia also blunts the body's normal heat-producing responses, causing vasodilation and suppressing shivering and nonshivering thermogenesis. Add in exposure to a cool operating room and cold fluids or gases, and cooling can occur quickly. Clinically, this means active measures to maintain warmth are essential: keep the room warm, use forced-air warming blankets, warm and humidify anesthetic gases, and warm IV fluids while continuously monitoring temperature. The other options describe metabolic issues that aren’t typically caused by inhaled anesthetics in this context.

Key concept: Inhaled anesthetics increase the risk of hypothermia in neonates and children because their heat-regulation system is immature and they lose heat more easily under anesthesia. Infants have a large surface area relative to their body mass, thin skin, and limited insulating fat, so heat escapes rapidly. Anesthesia also blunts the body's normal heat-producing responses, causing vasodilation and suppressing shivering and nonshivering thermogenesis. Add in exposure to a cool operating room and cold fluids or gases, and cooling can occur quickly. Clinically, this means active measures to maintain warmth are essential: keep the room warm, use forced-air warming blankets, warm and humidify anesthetic gases, and warm IV fluids while continuously monitoring temperature. The other options describe metabolic issues that aren’t typically caused by inhaled anesthetics in this context.