Overview Practice Essentials Myxedema is a term generally used to denote severe hypothyroidism. Myxedema coma, occasionally called myxedema crisis, is a rare, life-threatening clinical condition that consists of severe hypoth...
Background Myxedema is a clinical state of severe thyroid hormone deficiency that results in the failure of multiple organs. [3, 4, 5, 6] The term myxedema is also used to describe the dermatologic changes that occur in hypothyroidism and occasionally in hyperthyro...
Pathophysiology Myxedema coma occurs because of long-standing, undiagnosed or undertreated hypothyroidism. Although any of the causes of hypothyroidism can lead to myxedema coma, the most common is chronic autoimmune thyroiditis. It can also occur in patients who had a thyroi...
Epidemiology United States Hypothyroidism is one of the most common endocrine disorders, affecting 11. 7% of the US population. [14] However, myxedema coma is rare (with the precise prevalence unknown), likely due to the common availability thyroid function ...
Prognosis Myxedema coma is a medical emergency. If the condition is not promptly diagnosed and treated, the mortality rate can be as high as 50%. Even with immediate recognition and appropriate medical intervention, mortality rates of up to 25% have been observed...
Patient Education Patients who are diagnosed with hypothyroidism should be counseled regarding the necessity of taking daily thyroid hormone replacement and monitoring of thyroid tests on a regular basis. Patients with a history of thyroiditis or who have underg...
Elshimy G, Chippa V, Correa R. Myxedema. StatPearls...
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Author Mohsen S Eledrisi, MD, FACP, FACE Senior Consultant, Department of Medicine/Endocrinology, Hamad Medical Corporation, QatarMohsen S Eledrisi, MD, FACP, FACE is a member of the following medical societies: American Association of Clinical Endocrinology, American College of Physici...