Thyrotoxic hypokalemic periodic paralysis is a rare but potentially fatal emergency: case report and literature review

We report a case of a 39 year-old Asian man in whom profound lower limb paralysis, along with severe hypokalemia and electrocardiographic changes, were the presenting features of Graves' disease (GD)-related thyrotoxicosis. Rapid recognition and management of the disorder were the key factors t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inBoletin de la Asociación Médica de Puerto Rico Vol. 103; no. 2; p. 67
Main Authors Gómez-Torres, Jeisa Y, Bravo-Llerena, Wilfredo E, Reyes-Ortiz, Luis M, Valderrábano-Wagner, Rodrigo J, Mariano-Mejías, Victor, Brunet-Rodríguez, Héctor, Lemos-Ramírez, Juan C
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Puerto Rico 01.04.2011
Subjects
Adrenergic beta-Antagonists - therapeutic use
Adult
Antithyroid Agents - therapeutic use
Electrocardiography
Emergencies
Graves Disease - complications
Graves Disease - diagnosis
Graves Disease - drug therapy
Hong Kong - ethnology
Humans
Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis - blood
Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis - drug therapy
Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis - ethnology
Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis - etiology
Ion Transport
Male
Methimazole - therapeutic use
Neurologic Examination
Potassium - metabolism
Potassium Chloride - therapeutic use
Propranolol - therapeutic use
Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase - metabolism
Stress, Psychological - complications
Thyrotoxicosis - drug therapy
Thyrotoxicosis - etiology
Hong Kong
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Summary:We report a case of a 39 year-old Asian man in whom profound lower limb paralysis, along with severe hypokalemia and electrocardiographic changes, were the presenting features of Graves' disease (GD)-related thyrotoxicosis. Rapid recognition and management of the disorder were the key factors to avoid fatal hypokalemia-induced cardiac arrhythmias and promptly restore patient's capacity to ambulate.
ISSN:0004-4849