Myxedema coma is an emergency that develops from non-diagnosed or severe hypothyroidism and requires early recognition and management. Cardiac manifestations are uncommon and pose a challenge in the recognition of myxedema coma. We present the case of a 76-year-old male with a history of thyroidectomy secondary to a follicular carcinoma, who presented with dyspnea, generalized edema, drowsiness, disorientation, memory loss, and episodic generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Antiepileptic and diuretic treatment for seizures and heart failure exacerbation did not improve the symptoms. Further blood analysis revealed a thyroid-stimulating hormone and free thyroxine of 163 mUL/L and 0.64 ng/dL, respectively. Treatment with intravenous hydrocortisone and levothyroxine led to progressive clinical improvement. Uncommon clinical manifestations such as cardiac and non-specific neurologic symptoms should be considered as manifestations of myxedema coma. A comatose mental status is not a universal manifestation, and milder symptoms should be considered. An adequate assessment, including diagnostic scores and prompt hormonal supplementation prevents fatal consequences.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.