[Myxedema coma. A case reported]. 2010

Héctor Rebollo-Gómez
Servicio de Urgencias, Hospital General de Zona con Unidad de Medicina Familiar 2, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico. hrebolloster@gmail.com

Myxedema coma is a life-threatening condition; it is a complication of untreated hypothyroidism and an endocrine emergency. Most patients are elderly women with a previous history of long-standing hypothyroidism which presents during the winter. The myxedema coma has an insidious onset and it is very rare; its recognition can be quite difficult. Once suspected, treatment can be lifesaving and should be start promptly in anticipation of confirmation of the diagnosis by laboratory test. The mortality rate is high. I presented a case of an old woman with myxedema coma with an undiagnosed hypothyroidism, with altered mental status, normal temperature, pneumonia, hyponatremia and high level of creatine phosphokinase, who presented in the emergency room.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009230 Myxedema A condition characterized by a dry, waxy type of swelling (EDEMA) with abnormal deposits of MUCOPOLYSACCHARIDES in the SKIN and other tissues. It is caused by a deficiency of THYROID HORMONES. The skin becomes puffy around the eyes and on the cheeks. The face is dull and expressionless with thickened nose and lips. Myxedemas
D003128 Coma A profound state of unconsciousness associated with depressed cerebral activity from which the individual cannot be aroused. Coma generally occurs when there is dysfunction or injury involving both cerebral hemispheres or the brain stem RETICULAR FORMATION. Comatose,Pseudocoma,Comas,Pseudocomas
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000369 Aged, 80 and over Persons 80 years of age and older. Oldest Old

Related Publications

Héctor Rebollo-Gómez
January 1959, Israel medical journal,
Héctor Rebollo-Gómez
October 2021, Terapevticheskii arkhiv,
Héctor Rebollo-Gómez
August 1970, Nordisk medicin,
Héctor Rebollo-Gómez
August 2020, Cureus,
Héctor Rebollo-Gómez
July 1962, Southern medical journal,
Héctor Rebollo-Gómez
May 1995, Clinics in geriatric medicine,
Héctor Rebollo-Gómez
December 2006, Endocrinology and metabolism clinics of North America,
Héctor Rebollo-Gómez
January 1990, Annali italiani di medicina interna : organo ufficiale della Societa italiana di medicina interna,
Héctor Rebollo-Gómez
January 1994, Current therapy in endocrinology and metabolism,
Héctor Rebollo-Gómez
November 1974, JAMA,
Copied contents to your clipboard!