What term describes the decrease in body temperature immediately before death?

What term describes the decrease in body temperature immediately before death?

• A. Agonal algor
• B. Algor mortis
• C. Rigor mortis
• D. Livor mortis

Answer: (A)

This question tests the timing of body temperature changes around death. The term describing a drop in temperature occurring during the moments just before death is agonal algor. “Agonal” refers to the physiological period around death, and “algor” indicates cooling. This is different from algor mortis, which is the cooling of the body after death has occurred. The other terms describe postmortem changes: rigor mortis is the stiffening of the muscles after death, and livor mortis is the settling of blood that causes skin discoloration.

This question tests the timing of body temperature changes around death. The term describing a drop in temperature occurring during the moments just before death is agonal algor. “Agonal” refers to the physiological period around death, and “algor” indicates cooling. This is different from algor mortis, which is the cooling of the body after death has occurred. The other terms describe postmortem changes: rigor mortis is the stiffening of the muscles after death, and livor mortis is the settling of blood that causes skin discoloration.