FCPS IMM Anesthesia General Anaesthesia MCQs: High-Yield Practice Questions & Prep

General Anaesthesia is one of the subject blocks in the FCPS IMM Anesthesia QBank. It covers induction, maintenance, rapid sequence intubation, emergence and anaesthetic complications. Below is a sample set in the style of the bank, with the reasoning after each answer.

Sample MCQs

1. An 18-year-old boy is rushed to the ER after having choked on a bone while eating. He is responsive but unable to speak. What is to be done next?

• A) Bag and mask ventilation
• B) Endoscopic removal
• C) Deliver 5 back slaps and 5 chest compressions
• D) Perform Heimlich maneuver ✅

Why: The patient is an adult who has choked on a bone while eating. The next best step is to perform the Heimlich maneuver by giving 5 abdominal thrusts.

2. The context-sensitive half-time describes:

• A) Time to reach steady state
• B) Time for plasma concentration to fall by 50% after stopping an infusion of a given duration ✅
• C) Time for onset of action
• D) Time for protein binding

Why: It increases with infusion duration for most lipophilic drugs.

3. Perioperative steroid cover is required for patients on prednisolone above:

• A) 1 mg for 1 day
• B) 20 mg for a day
• C) 5 mg/day for more than 3 weeks ✅
• D) Any dose for a day

Why: HPA axis suppression may impair stress response.

4. What is the mechanism of action of local anesthetics?

• A) Block sodium channels ✅
• B) Block potassium channels
• C) Block calcium channels
• D) Block chloride channels

Why: The mechanism of action of local anaesthetics primarily involves the blockage of sodium channels in nerves.

5. Sodium nitroprusside toxicity is due to accumulation of:

• A) Thiocyanate only
• B) Cyanide ✅
• C) Nitrite
• D) Hydrogen peroxide

Why: Metabolites include cyanide, which causes metabolic acidosis.

6. Pethidine should be avoided in patients on:

• A) Monoamine oxidase inhibitors ✅
• B) Beta blockers
• C) Statins
• D) ACE inhibitors

Why: Pethidine may precipitate serotonin syndrome with MAOIs.

7. Only which fraction of a drug is pharmacologically active?

• A) Protein-bound drug
• B) Drug in fat
• C) Drug in bone
• D) Unbound (free) drug ✅

Why: Bound drug is inactive and acts as a reservoir.

8. Digoxin toxicity is potentiated by:

• A) Hyperkalaemia
• B) Hypokalaemia ✅
• C) Hypermagnesaemia
• D) Hypernatraemia

Why: Low potassium increases digoxin binding to the Na-K ATPase.

9. Drugs that follow first-order kinetics have:

• A) A constant amount eliminated per unit time
• B) Elimination independent of concentration
• C) A constant fraction eliminated per unit time ✅
• D) Saturable elimination

Why: In first-order kinetics the rate of elimination is proportional to plasma concentration.

10. Which surgery should be avoided in a patient with a fibroma and moderate to severe cardiac disease?

• A) Laparoscopic hysterectomy
• B) Abdominal hysterectomy
• C) Total hystertectomy ✅
• D) Sub total hysterectomy

Why: Total hysterectomy, removing the uterus and cervix, is contraindicated in patients with moderate to severe cardiac disease due to increased surgical stress on the cardiovascular system, which can lead to complications.

How to Study This Block

• Walk through a rapid sequence induction and know the reason for each step.
• Learn the triggers and treatment of malignant hyperthermia.
• Know the causes of delayed emergence.

Each subject in the QBank can be filtered on its own, so you can drill general anaesthesia until your accuracy is stable. Confirm the exam format and syllabus against the current CPSP guidelines.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this block cover?

The conduct of general anaesthesia from pre-induction to recovery, with the complications that arise.

Is it separate from airway management?

Yes. Airway questions have their own subject filter.

Practise With the Full QBank

The FCPS IMM Anesthesia QBank has a free trial batch in Tutor mode, subject filters and Timed mode. Related: complete exam guide, how to use recalls.