Question
Early hypotension in venomous snakebite is due to which of the following?
| A. |
Pooling of blood in the pulmonary and splanchnic circulation
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| B. |
Systemic bleeding
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| C. |
Hemolysis
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| D. |
Loss of intravascular volume into the soft tissues
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Show Answer
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Correct Answer » A
Explanation
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Pathophysiology of Early Hypotension in Snakebite
In venomous snakebite (especially viper envenomation), early hypotension is mainly caused by:
The venom contains vasoactive peptides and toxins that cause:
This leads to rapid fall in systemic vascular resistance, producing early hypotension.
This mechanism occurs before bleeding or hemolysis develops.
