During malignant hyperthermia, skeletal muscle oxidative metabolism increases uncontrollably, affecting the body's capacity to do what?

• A. Decrease in metabolism
• B. No effect on metabolism
• C. Improve stamina
• D. Supply oxygen, remove carbon dioxide, and regulate body temperature

Answer: (D)

Malignant hyperthermia triggers a massive, uncontrolled rise in skeletal muscle oxidative metabolism as calcium floods the muscle cells, causing sustained ATP turnover and enormous heat production. That hypermetabolic state drives a huge demand for oxygen and a spike in carbon dioxide production. The body’s systems then struggle to keep up with delivering enough oxygen to tissues and removing the excess CO2, while heat buildup overwhelms thermoregulation. So the body's capacity to supply oxygen, eliminate carbon dioxide, and regulate body temperature is what becomes compromised. The option describing those three functions best matches what happens here. The other choices don’t fit because metabolism isn’t decreased or unchanged, and the situation does not improve stamina—it creates a dangerous hypermetabolic state with failed homeostasis.