What is a myxedema coma?

Myxedema coma is defined as severe hypothyroidism leading to decreased mental status, hypothermia, and other symptoms related to slowing of function in multiple organs. It is a medical emergency with a high mortality rate.

What is the difference between myxedema and myxedema coma?

Myxedema also refers to the swelling of the skin and soft tissue that occurs in patients who are hypothyroid. Myxedema coma occurs when the body’s compensatory responses to hypothyroidism are overwhelmed by a precipitating factor such as infection.

How do you diagnose myxedema coma?

It often is possible to diagnose myxedema on clinical grounds alone. Characteristic symptoms are weakness, cold intolerance, mental and physical slowness, dry skin, typical facies, and hoarse voice. Results of the total serum thyroxine and free thyroxine index tests usually will confirm the diagnosis.

What does myxedema mean in medical terms?

Myxedema is a term generally used to denote severe hypothyroidism. Myxedema is also used to describe the dermatologic changes that occur in hypothyroidism and occasionally hyperthyroidism.

How does a myxedema coma happen?

Myxedema coma occurs as a result of long-standing, undiagnosed, or undertreated hypothyroidism and is usually precipitated by a systemic illness. Myxedema coma can result from any of the causes of hypothyroidism, most commonly chronic autoimmune thyroiditis.

What is the main characteristic of myxedema?

It is often possible to diagnose myxedema on clinical grounds alone. Characteristic symptoms are weakness, cold intolerance, mental and physical slowness, dry skin, typical facies, and hoarse voice.

What is cretinism and myxedema?

Cretinism is hypothyroidism in children. Failure of thyroid secretion causes retardation of growth of all forms (physical, mental and sexual) in young ones. Cretinism occurs from the deficiency of thyroid hormone. Myxoedema: On the other hand, myxedema is caused in adults due to the deficiency of thyroid hormones.

What is the pathophysiology of myxedema coma?

What is the another name of myxedema?

Myxedema is another term for severely advanced hypothyroidism. It’s a condition that occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone.

Which of the following findings is most likely in a patient who has myxedema?

Typical findings in myxedema coma are hyponatremia and decreased glomerular filtration rate. [38] Hyponatremia occurs mainly due to decreased water transport to the distal nephron. [39] Other causes can be an increase in antidiuretic hormone (ADH).

What does myxedema look like?

Symptoms of myxedema include thickening of the skin and other symptoms associated with hypothyroidism, including fatigue, weight gain, depression, dry skin, and brittle hair, among others. Skin thickening or swelling associated with myxedema is often described as nonpitting edema.

CLINICAL RECOGNITION Myxedema coma is a rare life-threatening clinical condition in patients with longstanding severe untreated hypothyroidism, in whom adaptive mechanisms fail to maintain homeostasis. Most patients, however, are not comatose, and the entity rather represents a form of very severe, decompensated hypothyroidism.

What are the symptoms of myxedema coma in hypothyroidism?

DIAGNOSIS and DIFFERENTIAL. Absence of mild diastolic hypertension in severely hypothyroid patients is a warning sign of impending myxedema coma. Laboratory examination may reveal anemia, hyponatremia , hypoglycaemia, hypercholesterolemia, and high serum creatine kinase concentrations. Most patients have low serum FT4 and high serum TSH.

What is the ICD 10 code for coma with hypothyroidism?

Diagnosis Index entries containing back-references to E03.5: Coma R40.20 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R40.20. Unspecified coma 2016 2017 2018 2019 Billable/Specific Code Myxedema (adult) (idiocy) (infantile) (juvenile) E03.9 – see also Hypothyroidism ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code E03.9. Hypothyroidism, unspecified 2016 2017 2018 2019 Billable/Specific Code

What is a myxedema crisis?

Summary. Myxedema crisis is a life-threatening extreme form of hypothyroidism with a high mortality rate if left untreated. Myxedema crisis is commonly seen in older patients, especially women, and is associated with signs of hypothyroidism, hypothermia, hyponatremia, hypercarbia, and hypoxemia.