What is a late finding in the progression of malignant hyperthermia?

In the context of malignant hyperthermia, increased temperature serves as a critical late finding due to the underlying pathophysiology associated with this condition. Malignant hyperthermia is a genetic disorder often triggered by certain anesthetic agents, leading to an uncontrolled release of calcium ions from the sarcoplasmic reticulum of skeletal muscle. This results in increased muscle metabolism, sustained muscle contractions, and ultimately, a significant rise in body temperature.

As the condition progresses, the patient's temperature can escalate rapidly due to heightened metabolic activity in muscle tissue. Thus, increased temperature is a characteristic sign indicating that the hypermetabolic state is worsening, making it a key late clinical finding in the progression of malignant hyperthermia.

Other options, while they may change in the context of a patient experiencing malignant hyperthermia, do not represent typical late findings of the condition. Increased muscle strength or decreased heart rate would not align with the clinical picture of a hypermetabolic state, which is largely characterized by muscle rigidity and tachycardia. Increased blood pressure can occur but is not as definitive or common as the increase in temperature when monitoring for the effects of malignant hyperthermia.