A Case of Profound Hypothyroidism Presenting with Hypertensive Emergency and Large Amount of Pericardial Effusion
Challenging differential diagnosis, Diagnostic / therapeutic accidents, Management of emergency care, Rare disease, Educational Purpose (only if useful for a systematic review or synthesis)
Ji-won Hwang
Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University School of Medicine, Goyang, South Korea
Am J Case Rep 2020; 21:e923299
DOI: 10.12659/AJCR.923299
Available online: 2020-04-17
Published: 2020-06-22
BACKGROUND:
Thyroid function is closely related to the cardiovascular system. Pericardial effusion is a well-known complication of hypothyroidism. It is common for massive pericardial effusion to progress to tamponed heart with hypotension, but not high blood pressure.
CASE REPORT:
A 46-year-old woman presented to the hospital with dysarthria and left-side weakness of the upper limb which had started 30 minutes before her arrival at the hospital. The patient showed hypertensive emergency (213/124 mmHg) with intracerebral hemorrhage. Further evaluation for high blood pressure and transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated the presence of a large amount of pericardial effusion, and urgent pericardiocentesis was performed. The laboratory examination showed elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone and decreased free thyroxine level, leading to a diagnosis of primary hypothyroidism. The administration of current medications was maintained, including thyroid hormone replacement and anti-hypertensive drugs.
CONCLUSIONS:
A rare case of profound hypothyroidism presenting with hypertensive crisis and massive pericardial effusion is described in this report.
Keywords: Cardiac Tamponade, Hypertension, Malignant, Hypothyroidism
