ACLS ProMed Practice Test

After ROSC, rewarming is done slowly to avoid adding more brain injury. Sudden temperature rise can cause rapid cerebral vasodilation and shifts in cerebral blood flow, plus electrolyte disturbances and reperfusion-related stresses, all of which can worsen neurologic outcome. So the rewarming strategy focuses on a gentle, controlled rate—about a quarter to a half a degree Celsius per hour—while watching for hypotension, arrhythmias, and electrolyte changes until the patient returns to normal temperature. This makes avoiding rapid temperature shifts the best description of the rewarming phase. Rapid normalization isn’t recommended because it raises the risk of harm, and while controlled rewarming is indeed the approach, the critical point is the slow, steady rate that prevents abrupt changes. Reducing vasopressor requirements isn’t the primary goal of rewarming.