Rough handling of a hypothermic patient can precipitate which arrhythmia?

• A. Atrial fibrillation
• B. Sinus tachycardia
• C. Ventricular fibrillation
• D. Bradycardia

Answer: (C)

Hypothermia makes the heart electrically unstable, so rough handling can trigger a chaotic, uncoordinated rhythm. In the cold, conduction slows and refractoriness becomes uneven, increasing the chance that a mechanical stimulus will spark disorganized electrical activity. That disorganized activity is ventricular fibrillation, where the ventricles quiver uselessly and cannot pump blood. While hypothermia can slow the heart or cause other rhythm changes, the immediate danger from rough handling is this VF pattern. Atrial fibrillation and sinus tachycardia are less likely to be precipitated in this scenario, and bradycardia is common but does not explain the abrupt, chaotic rhythm caused by handling.